Black ash swamp, 1.Arbor-vitae swamp, 3.Black spruce—tamarack bog, 2.Hemlock forest, 1.White pine forest, 1.Wet hardwood forest, 9.Dry hardwood forest, 7.Shrub stage, 1.Paper birch—aspen stage, 3.Early hardwood forest stage, 1.Edificarian, 1.
Seventeen records from the Cisco Lake Region; 6 from Little Girl's Point; and 7 from Gogebic Lake. None were noted more than a few yards from the protection of a forest.
In a grove of white pines near Little Girl's Point cut pine scales were numerous August 13 on the ground and on logs, and one red-squirrel taken had much pitch on the fur around the mouth. August 24, cut-open fir cones were numerous around the small fir trees in a paper birch—aspen growth nearGogebic Lake, and were certainly the work of this species. July 2 a young red-squirrel which had frequently been seen around the camp in the Cisco Lake Region was found ravenously feeding on the kidney of a recently skinned woodchuck. After feeding it showed no fear, and allowed itself to be picked up; it seemed very sleepy and slept for about a half-hour before running away. This individual was badly infested with fleas. Another juvenile taken July 1 in the same region was infested with small patches of red seed ticks around the anus, anterior to the genital opening, on the belly, on the thigh, and at the base of one ear.
Six small embryos were found in an adult female taken in the Cisco Lake Region July 16.
Sciurus carolinensis leucotis.Gray-squirrel.
In 1911, J. E. Marshall reported that a few occurred near Gogebic Lake.
Glaucomys sabrinus macrotis.Mearns Flying-squirrel.
Black ash swamp, 1.Hemlock forest, 1.Wet hardwood forest, 2.Dry hardwood forest, 1.
Two were taken in the Cisco Lake Region and three near Gogebic Lake in Ontonagon County. A female taken July 4 near Fish-hawk Lake was still suckling young, and contained no embryos, but a female taken July 6 in the same region contained five small embryos. An immature female taken August 27 near Gogebic Lake was without embryos.
Castor canadensis michiganensis.Woods Beaver.
Leather leaf bog, house.
Two houses were found in the Cisco Lake Region, both being in leather leaf bogs near deep water. Around the house studied there was an incomplete moat connected with a channel leading to deep water, and canals and tunnels radiated outthrough the bog. No beavers were observed nor secured, but fresh cuttings were noted at the edges of some of the "forms" in the bog.
A few beaver are reported to occur near Little Girl's Point and near Gogebic Lake. E. E. Brewster in 1895 wrote Dr. Gibbs that it was not uncommon in Gogebic County and in probably all the counties of the Upper Peninsula where trapping and lumbering had been discontinued; he stated that beaver were appearing again even in localities where formerly most sought. In 1911, J. E. Marshall reported it scarce near Gogebic Lake.
Lepus americanus phæonotus.Snowshoe Hare.
Forest—shore, 1.Arbor-vitae swamp, signs.Leather leaf bog, signs.Black spruce—tamarack bog, 1.Wet hardwood forest, signs.Dry hardwood forest, 1.Shrub stage, 7.Paper birch—aspen stage, 1.Cultivated-field, 1.Edificarian, 1.
Rare during the season of 1920 in the areas visited. In the Cisco Lake Region an adult female was taken in a trap set for muskrat under water on a brushy point. Other hares were occasionally seen in the evenings in the shrubby clearing around the camp house; and one was even seen on the porch. Droppings were found in a leather leaf bog, and a hare was seen at the edge of a black spruce—tamarack bog. Near Little Girl's Point a juvenile was taken August 13 in the upland hardwood forest, but was partly eaten in the trap by some carnivore; several were seen in shrubby clearings; and a young one was reported captured in an oat field by a farmer. Droppings were found in an arbor-vitae swamp. Near Gogebic Lake in Ontonagon County droppings were found in wet hardwood forest, in a thick growth of aspen and white birch saplings, and in an extensive tamarack bog.
An adult female taken July 4 at Fish-hawk Lake had muchmilk in the mammae. At the camp on Lindsley Lake June 27 one was seen to eat some wood ashes; and June 30 one was seen to feed on the blades of quack grass (Agropyron repens), which was identified by E. A. Bessey.
Odocoileus virginianus borealis.Northern White-tailed Deer.
Forest—shore, 1.Mud-flat, signs.Tall-sedge, 1.Grassy-meadow, 1.Alder-thicket, signs.Black ash swamp, signs.Arbor-vitae swamp, signs.Black spruce—tamarack bog, signs.Hemlock forest, signs.Wet hardwood forest, 10.Dry hardwood forest, 7.Shrub stage, 8.Paper birch—aspen stage, 1.
Deer are abundant in the Cisco Lake Region; they are less common near Lake Gogebic; and only a few were seen near Little Girl's Point. Most of those seen were in the hardwood forest and in the brushy clearings, but trails and signs were common in many habitats.
Wolves were reported to prey extensively on deer in the region, and wolf dung examined August 7 near Little Girl's Point contained much deer hair and some deer bones.
Alces americanus.Moose.
J. E. Marshall reports that a moose was seen near Gogebic Lake in the winter of 1885, and an individual, perhaps the same one, was killed on Flambeau Reservation that year.
Northern Michigan Mammals Plate I
Fig. 1. Beach of Lake Superior just east of Little Girl's Point. A dirt bluff at the right of the picture. August 10, 1920.Fig. 1. Beach of Lake Superior just east of Little Girl's Point. A dirt bluff at the right of the picture. August 10, 1920.
Fig. 2. Tall-sedge habitat in a beaver meadow on the west side of Gogebic Lake, Ontonagon County. September 1, 1920.Fig. 2. Tall-sedge habitat in a beaver meadow on the west side of Gogebic Lake, Ontonagon County. September 1, 1920.
Northern Michigan Mammals Plate II
Fig. 1. Leather leaf bog invaded by tamaracks, Ontonagon River near Cisco Lake. August 3, 1920.Fig. 1. Leather leaf bog invaded by tamaracks, Ontonagon River near Cisco Lake. August 3, 1920.
Fig. 2. Arbor-vitae swamp four miles southeast of Little Girl's Point. The ground is very moist. August 16, 1920.Fig. 2. Arbor-vitae swamp four miles southeast of Little Girl's Point. The ground is very moist. August 16, 1920.
Northern Michigan Mammals Plate III
Fig. 1. Dry hardwood on a ridge four miles southeast of Little Girl's Point. Sugar maple, yellow birch, and linden are dominant. Undergrowth low. August 16, 1920.Fig. 1. Dry hardwood on a ridge four miles southeast of Little Girl's Point. Sugar maple, yellow birch, and linden are dominant. Undergrowth low. August 16, 1920.
Fig. 2. Virgin white pine grove, Gogebic County. Trunks up to four feet in diameter. Little undergrowth. August 17, 1920.Fig. 2. Virgin white pine grove, Gogebic County. Trunks up to four feet in diameter. Little undergrowth. August 17, 1920.
[1]H. T. Darlington,Mich. Acad. Sci., 22nd Ann. Rept., 1921.
[1]H. T. Darlington,Mich. Acad. Sci., 22nd Ann. Rept., 1921.
[2]1914. N. A. Wood, Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool., No. 6.
[2]1914. N. A. Wood, Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool., No. 6.
[3]N. A. Wood,op. cit.
[3]N. A. Wood,op. cit.
Transcriber's Notes
Page35: Changed "porcppines" to "porcupines".Originally: One of these porcppines seemed to be very disinclinedPages42-47: Combined figure captions and images.Originally: Images were on pages following their captions.