. Animal life in the Yosemite; an account of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada. Zoology. Moles. Scapanus latimanus (Bachman)^ Field characters.—Total length 6 to 6% inches (150-170 mm.), tail about 11/2 inches (38 mm.); body short and cylindrical; snout long and pointed (fig. 4); forefeet with greatly expanded and flattened palms and long heavy claws (fig. 5a); tail scantily and coarsely haired; no eyes or ears visible. Pelage short, soft, plush-like in texture; coloration uniform, dark brown, gray, or blackish (accord- ing to subspecies), app
. Animal life in the Yosemite; an account of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada. Zoology. Moles. Scapanus latimanus (Bachman)^ Field characters.—Total length 6 to 6% inches (150-170 mm.), tail about 11/2 inches (38 mm.); body short and cylindrical; snout long and pointed (fig. 4); forefeet with greatly expanded and flattened palms and long heavy claws (fig. 5a); tail scantily and coarsely haired; no eyes or ears visible. Pelage short, soft, plush-like in texture; coloration uniform, dark brown, gray, or blackish (accord- ing to subspecies), appearing silvery when smoothed down. Habits: Strictly subterranean; live in tunnels formed by the animals themselves in the ground. Workings: Low raised ridges (containing runways) along the surface of ground; also, le^s commonly, mounds of earth with irregu- lar surface, erupted from underground tunnels, and with no indication left of any opening to burrow (fig. 22). Occurrence.—Present in small to moderate numbers locally across the Yosemite region; noted from Snelling eastward to Mono Mills and up to an altitude of 9500 feet (in Lyell Canon) ; especially common in meadows of Yo- semite Individuals live and work Pig. 4. Snout of Yo- semite mole, from below, showing elongate tip be- yond mouth, short front (incisor) teeth, and heavy covering of hairs on sides of face. Twice natural size. The mole and the pocket gopher, and the re- spective workings of the two, are often confused in the popular mind. The two animals, and their workings, however, are entirely distinct in practically all respects save that both inhabit the ground. In most places in California, and this includes the Yosemite region, moles are much less common than gophers. This fact probably accounts for some of the misunderstanding which has arisen. By careful searching we found some evidence of moles at almost every locality which we visited in the section (below the 9500 foot contour)
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Keywords: ., bookauthorgr, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectzoology
