Sorex vagrans neomexicanusBaileySorex obscurus neomexicanusBailey, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 26:133, May 21, 1913.Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 100440, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on May 29, 1900, by Vernon Bailey, from Cloudcroft, 9000 ft., Otero Co., New Mexico.Range.—Sacramento and Capitan Mountains of New Mexico.Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 4 topotypes are: total length, 105.2 (103-107); tail, 41.0 (39-42); hind foot, 13.1 (12.5-14). Color near Olive Brown in summer; winter pelage unknown; skull large and relatively broad; teeth relatively large.Comparisons.—Skull larger than that ofS. v. obscurusand relatively somewhat broader; much larger in all cranial dimensions thanS. v. monticola.Remarks.—S. v. neomexicanusis a well-marked subspecies seemingly limited to the mountains of southeastern New Mexico. It is the only species ofSorexthus far recorded from that area.Specimens examined.—Total number, 12.New Mexico:Otero Co.: SW slope Capitan Mts., 2 BS; 10 mi. NE Cloudcroft, 2 BS; Cloudcroft, 7 BS, 1 UM.Marginal records.—New Mexico: SW slope Capitan Mts.; 10 mi. NE Cloudcroft; type locality.Sorex vagrans monticolaMerriamSorex monticolusMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 3:43, September 11, 1890.Sorex vagrans monticola, Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:69, December 31, 1895.Sorex melanogenysHall, Jour. Mamm., 13:260, August 9, 1932, type from Marijilda Canyon, 8600 ft., Graham Mts. [= Pinaleno Mts.] Graham Co., Arizona.Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 17599/24535, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 28, 1899, by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey from San Francisco Mtn., 11,500 ft., Coconino Co., Arizona.Range.—Mountains of western New Mexico, eastern Arizona, and the northern Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico.Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 12 specimens from the White Mountains, Arizona, are: total length, 104.3 (98-112); tail, 41.2 (37-45); hind foot, 12.0 (11-13). Summer pelage between (15´m) Proutts Brown and (15´´m) Bister, venter tinged with (15´f) Pale Ochraceous Buff; winter pelage near (17´´´k) Olive Brown; skull relatively broad.Comparisons.—For comparisons withS. v. obscurusandS. v. neomexicanussee accounts of those subspecies. Skull slightly larger and relatively broader than that ofS. v. orizabae, and color slightly paler. Differs fromS. v. vagransin: winter pelage grayish (near 17´´´kOlive Brown) rather than blackish (17´´´´kor 17´´´´mChaetura Drab or Chaetura Black); summer pelage slightly grayer; skull relatively slightly broader rostrally and interorbitally.Remarks.—S. v. monticolaintergrades gradually withS. v. obscurusto the north and east; indeed the type locality is actually in this area of intergradation. So far as I know,monticolais not in reproductive continuity with any other subspecies ofSorex vagrans. Specimens from southeastern Arizona are the smallest and seem to be the most "typical" in the sense that they are most different fromS. v. obscurus. Some specimens from the whole length of the Rocky Mountain chain in the United States have for years been referred tomonticola. Some of these, as I have pointed out, belong toS. v. longiquus, and others are intergrades betweenS. v. obscurusandS. v. vagrans. Sincevagransandmonticolaresemble one another somewhat, and since topotypes ofS. v. monticolaactually show the influence of intergradation withobscurus, it is easy to understand how intergrades betweenobscurusandvagranscould have been assigned tomonticola.Throughout most of its range,S. v. monticolais the onlySorexpresent. In some placesmonticolamay occur withS. nanusorS. merriami.S. v. monticolaoccurs with the water shrew in southeastern Arizona.Specimens examined.—Total number, 80.Arizona:Coconino Co.: San Francisco Mtn., 3 BS, 6 CMNH.Apache Co.: Spruce Creek, Tunitcha Mts., 7 BS; Springerville, 1 BS; North Fork White River, White Mts., 12 SD; White River, Horseshoe Cienega, 8300 ft., White Mts., 5 BS; Mt. Thomas, 9500 to 11,000 ft., White Mts., 12 BS; Little Colorado River, White Mts., 4 BS; near head Burro Creek, 9000 ft., White Mts., 1 BS.Graham Co.: Graham Mts., 9200 ft., 2 BS.Greenlee Co.: Prieto Plateau, 9000 ft., S. end Blue Range, 1 BS.Pima Co.: Summerhaven, 7500 ft., Santa Catalina Mts., 3 BS, 1 SD.Cochise Co.: Fly Park, Chiricahua Mts., 4 BS; Rustler Park, Chiricahua Mts., 1 SD; Long Park, Chiricahua Mts., 1 UM; Huachuca Mts., 1 BS.Santa Cruz Co.: Stone Cabin Canyon, 8500 ft., Santa Rita Mts., 1 BS.New Mexico:San Juan Co.: Chusca Mts., 1 BS.Catron Co.: Mogollon Mts., 3 BS; 10 mi. E Mogollon, 1 KU.Socorro Co.: Copper Canyon, Magdalena Mts., 3 BS.Sierra Co.: Mimbres Mts., near Kingston, 1 BS.Chihuahua: Sierra Madre, near Guadalupe y Calvo, 5 BS.Marginal records.—Arizona: Tunitcha Mts.New Mexico: Chusca Mts.; Copper Canyon, Magdalena Mts.; Mimbres Mts., near Kingston.Chihuahua: Guadalupe y Calvo.Arizona: Huachuca Mts.; Santa Catalina Mts.; White River, Horseshoe Cienega, 8300 ft., White Mts.; San Francisco Mtn.Sorex vagrans orizabaeMerriamSorex orizabaeMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December 31, 1895.Sorex vagrans orizabae, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:113, July 24, 1928.Type.—Adult female, skin and skull; No. 53633, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on April 24, 1893, by E. W. Nelson from W slope of Mt. Orizaba, 9,500 ft., Puebla.Range.—Transverse volcanic belt of mountains at the southern end of the Mexican Plateau.Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; measurements of 3 specimens from Volcan Toluca, Mexico, are: total length, 98, 100, 108; tail, 35, 39, 40; hind foot, 13, 13, 14. Summer pelage Mummy Brown tending toward Olive Brown; Fuscous to Fuscous-Black in winter; skull and teeth relatively narrow.Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. monticolasee account of that subspecies.Remarks.—The range ofS. v. orizabaeprobably is not now in contact with that of any other subspecies ofS. vagrans, although judging by the slight degree of difference betweenorizabaeandmonticolathe separation between the two has not been of great duration.Sorex vagrans orizabaeoccurs withS. saussurei saussureithroughout the transverse volcanic belt.Specimens examined.—Total number, 23.Michoacán: Patambán, 1 BS; Nahuatzín, 3 BS; Mt. Tancítaro, 4 BS.Mexico: Salazar, 2 BS, 1 KU; Volcan de Toluca, 3 BS.Tlaxcala: Mt. Malinche, 2 BS.Puebla: Mt. Orizaba, 6 BS.Veracruz: Cofre de Perote, 1 BS.Marginal records.—Michoacán:Patambán.Veracruz: Cofre de Perote.Puebla:Mt. Orizaba.Michoacán: Mt. Tancítaro.Sorex vagrans vagransBairdSorex vagransBaird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1, Mammals, p. 15, July 14, 1858.Sorex suckleyiBaird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1, Mammals, p. 18, July 14, 1858, type from Steilacoom, Pierce Co., Washington.Sorex dobsoniMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 5:33, July 30, 1891, type from Alturas or Sawtooth Lake, altitude about 7200 ft., E base Sawtooth Mts., Blaine Co., Idaho.Sorex amoenusMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:69, December 31, 1895, type from near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head Owens River, E slope Sierra Nevada, Mono Co., California.Sorex nevadensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December 31, 1895, type from Reese River, 6000 ft., Nye-Lander Co. line, Nevada.Sorex shastensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 16:87, October 28, 1899, type from Wagon Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5700 ft., Siskiyou Co., California.Type.—Adult male, alcoholic; No. 1675, U. S. Nat. Mus.; obtained at Shoalwater (Willapa) Bay, Pacific Co., Washington; received from J. G. Cooper, and entered in Museum catalog on October 23, 1856.Range.—The Great Basin, and Columbia Plateau west across the mountains to the Pacific coast of northern California, Oregon, Washington and southwestern British Columbia.Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 8 topotypes are: total length, 104.1 (99-109); tail, 43.3 (42-45); hind foot, 12.9 (12-14). Summer pelage ranging from (15´k) Cinnamon Brown through (15´m) Proutt's Brown to (17´m) Mummy Brown. Winter pelage (13´´´´m) Fuscous Black to (17´´´´m) Chaetura Black.Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. monticolasee account of that subspecies. Differs fromS. v. halicoetesin relatively narrower and more attenuate rostrum and in less brownish underparts in winter pelage; smaller and more brownish (less grayish) thanSorex vagransfrom the southern Sierra Nevada.Fig. 18.Probable geographic ranges ofSorex vagrans vagrans, its derivative subspecies, andS. v. mixtus.1.S. v. vancouverensis2.S. v. vagrans3.S. v. halicoetes4.S. v. paludivagus5.S. v. obscuroides6.S. v. mixtusRemarks.—Restriction of the range ofS. v. monticolato Arizona and New Mexico leaves shrews that were formerly assigned to this subspecies from Utah, Idaho, Washington and southern British Columbia unassigned. Several names are available for consideration. The nameSorex vagrans dobsoniMerriam, 1891, type locality Alturas Lake, Blaine Co., Idaho, was once applied to small shrews from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, but was considered by Jackson to be synonymous withS. v. monticola. The nameSorex vagrans amoenusMerriam, 1895, type locality near Mammoth, Mono Co., California, has been applied to wandering shrews from western Nevada, northeastern California and southern Oregon.Sorex vagrans nevadensisMerriam, 1895, type locality Reese River on Nye-Lander Co. line, Nevada was considered by Hall (1946:119) to be synonymous withS. v. amoenus. Specimens ofSorex vagranswestof the Cascade Mountains have long been referred to the nominate subspecies which has its type locality at Willapa Bay, Pacific Co., Washington. Over so wide an area it is only to be expected that some geographic variation is to be found. Thus specimens from central Nevada average slightly paler in summer pelage than those from the Pacific Coast or from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. In addition there are slight average differences in size from place to place. Topotypes ofS. v. vagrans, however, show a fair degree of variability and some are nearly as pale as the paler Great Basin stocks. Furthermore topotypical individuals ofvagranscan be lost in series ofS. v. amoenus, althoughamoenusis shorter-tailed on the average. Specimens from the western foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains show an amazing series of relationships with the montaneS. v. obscurus. In Utah, as previously pointed out, complete intergradation occurs. At 1 mi. N Heath, Washington Co., Idaho, the lowland and the highland forms approach each other within a short distance and still maintain a degree of distinctness, especially in size. In northwestern Montana intergradation is extensive (Clothier, 1950). In northeastern Washington distinctly separable populations occur within a few miles of one another. In southern British Columbia some populations are clearly intergrades while at 6 mi. S Yahk intergradation seemingly has not taken place. Where some intergradation has occurred the result often has been increased size of the lowland shrews, although they usually retain the reddish summer pelage rather than acquiring the more grayish pelage ofobscurus. The namedobsoniwas based upon shrews from a place where lowland and highland forms occur almost together with only a slight amount of intergradation. Examples of "dobsoni" may not with certainty be distinguished from typicalvagransexcept that they are, as Merriam (1895:68-69) points out, somewhat larger. Merriam (loc. cit.) further notes thatdobsoniis "intermediate in size and cranial characters betweenS. vagransandobscurus;" a statement which hits very close to the heart of the matter. I consider the namedobsonito apply to intergrades. To attempt to apply the name to the highly variable populations of intergrades from British Columbia to southern Idaho seems inadvisable. I have examined the possibility of using the nameamoenusfor the animals from this region. The characters which setamoenusapart fromvagrans, slightly shorter tail and slightly darker summer pelage, however, are not universally found in shrews from the Columbian Plateau and eastern Great Basin and furthermore these differences betweenamoenusandvagransdo not seem to me to be of great enoughmagnitude to warrant subspecific recognition of the former. Thus the nameS. v. vagransmay apply to shrews in the region under consideration. The subspecies, as thus thought of, embraces several incipient subspecies, namely (1) the populations on the isolated mountain ranges of Nevada, (2) the coastal rain forest population and possibly (3) the population on the Columbian Plateau.In western British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon no evidences of intergradation betweenS. v. vagransand the racessetosus,permiliensis,bairdi,yaquinae, orpacificusare seen. In this regionS. v. vagransoccurs sympatrically with one or the other of these subspecies. Different degrees of differentiation thus obtain between the subspeciesvagransas here defined and the surrounding subspecies ofSorex vagransto wit: complete intergradation and allopatry in Utah withS. v. obscurus; partial intergradation and partial sympatry withS. v. obscurusin the foothill region from Idaho to British Columbia; no intergradation and complete sympatry with all the other races ofSorex vagransfrom the Cascades to the coast and south to San Francisco Bay. The relationship ofS. v. vagransto the wandering shrews of the high Sierra is discussed on page 58.Throughout most of the Great Basin and Columbian PlateauSorex vagransis, with the exception of the rareS. merriamiandS. preblei, the only small shrew. In the Cascades and in the coastal lowlands it is the only small shrew except forS. cinereusandS. trigonirostris, both extremely rare and local in this region.S. vagransseemingly competes to a certain extent with the largerS. trowbridgiiin western Washington and seems to be partially dominant totrowbridgii, at least in marshy habitats (Dalquest, 1941:171).Specimens examined.—Total number, 1197.British Columbia:Osoyoos District: Okanagan, 20 PMBC; Okanagan Landing, 2 PMBC; Nahun Plateau, 2 PMBC.Vancouver District: Vancouver, 2 PMBC.New Westminister District: Port Moody, 16 BS; Westminster Jct., 4 AMNH; Langley, 1 BS; Vedder Crossing, 1 PMBC; Huntingdon, 69 NMC; Sumas, 16 BS; Cultus Lake, 1 NMC.Similkameen District: Princeton, 6 Mile Creek, 1 NMC. Hedley, Stirling Creek, 7 NMC; Fairview-Keremeos Summit, 5 NMC; Oliver, 1 NMC; Westbridge, 6 NMC; Osoyoos, 1 PMBC; Osoyoos-Bridesville Summit, 4 NMC; Cascade, 7 NMC.Nelson District: Kuskonook, 1 PMBC; Rossland, 14 NMC; Trail, 2 NMC; Creston, 4 PMBC, 4 NMC; near Creston, 7 NMC.Cranbrook District: Cranbrook, 5 BS; Yahk, 2 NMC; Yahk Camp 6, 2 NMC; Goatfell, 2 NMC.Fernie District: Newgate, 3 NMC.Washington:Whatcom Co.: Blaine, 1 BS; Beaver Creek, 5 WSC; Glacier, 1 BS; Mt. Baker Lodge, 1 WSC; Lake Whatcom, 1 BS; Barron, 2 BS.Okanogan Co.: Sheep Mtn., 3 BS; E. end Bauerman Ridge, 1 BS; Oroville, 1 BS; Hidden Lakes, 1 BS; Loomis, 1 BS; Conconully, 1 BS; Twisp, 1 BS.Ferry Co.: 5 mi. W Curlew, 2 BS.Stevens Co.: Marcus, 1 BS.Pend Oreille Co.: Canyon, 1 WSC; Metaline, 2 BS; Sullivan Lake, 1 BS.San Juan Co.: East Sound, Orcas Island, 3 BS; Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, 1 BS; San Juan Park, 2 WSC; Blakely Island, 1 KU; Richardson, 6 BS.Skagit Co.: Cypress Island, 1 KU; Hamilton, 1 BS; Sauk, 1 BS; Avon, 3 BS; Mt. Vernon, 2 BS; La Conner, 5 BS.Island Co.: San de Fuca, Whidby Island, 3 BS; Greenbank, Whidby Island, 2 BS; 3 mi. N Clinton, Whidby Island, 1 BS.Snohomish Co.: Oso, 2 BS; Hermosa Point, Tulalip Indian Reservation, 7 mi. W and ½ mi. N Marysville, 3 KU.Chelan Co.: Entiat, 2 BS.Lincoln Co.: 6 mi. E Odessa, 4 BS.Spokane Co.: Marshall, 7 BS.Clallam Co.: Neah Bay, 29 BS; 8 mi. W Sekin River, 1 WSC; mouth Sekin River, 1 WSC; Dungeness, 1 BS; Port Townsend, 3 BS; Ozette Indian Reservation, 1 CMNH; Sequim, 4 BS; Tivoli Island, Ozette Lake, 1 CMNH; Garden Island, Ozette Lake, 3 CMNH; Elwah, 1 WSC; Blyn, 1 BS; Soleduck River, 1 BS; 12 mi. S Port Angeles, 1 WSC; Forks, 9 CMNH, 1 BS; Cat Creek, 1 WSC; Lapush, 5 BS.Jefferson Co.: Jefferson Ranger Station, N Fork Hoh River, 5 CMNH; Duckabush, 6 BS.Kitsap Co.: Vashon Island, 2 BS.King Co.: Redmont, 2 BS; Kirkland, 20 BS; Seattle, 1 WSC, 3 KU; Northbend, 2 BS: Lake Washington, near Renton, 2 BS; Kent, 1 BS; Enumclaw, 1 BS.Grays Harbor Co.: Lake Quinault, 9 BS; Aberdeen, 20 BS; Westport, 5 BS, 2 WSC; Oakville, 1 BS.Mason Co.: Lake Cushman, 11 BS; Hoodsport, 1 BS; North Fork Skokomish River, 1 BS; Shelton, 2 BS.Pierce Co.: Puyallup, 6 BS; Steilacoom, 1 BS; 6 mi. S Tacoma, 2 BS; Roy, 3 BS; Bear Prairie, Mt. Rainier, 1 BS; Reflection Lake, Mt. Rainier, 1 WSC.Kittitas Co.: Blewett Pass, 3 BS; Easton, 3 BS; 2 mi. E Cle Elum, 4 FC; Ellensburg, 2 BS.Grant Co.: Moses Lake, 1 BS; 9 mi. S and 1 mi. W Neppel, 1 UM.Whitman Co.: Hangman Creek, Tekoa, 1 WSC; 4 mi. ENE Pullman, 1 KU; 2 mi. N Pullman, 2 WSC; 2 mi. NW Pullman, 1 WSC; 2 mi. W Pullman, 1 WSC; Pullman, 5 WSC; Armstrong, 1 WSC; 5 mi. NE Wawawai, 1 BS; Wawawai, 5 WSC.Thurston Co.: Nisqually Flats, 2 BS; Nisqually, 1 BS; 4 mi. S Olympia, 1 BS; Tenino, 4 BS.Pacific Co.: Tokeland, 4 BS; 1 mi. S Nemah, 2 FC; 1 mi. N Bear River, Willapa Bay, 8 FC; ¼ mi. N Bear River, 3 FC; 3½ mi. E Seaview, 6 FC; Ilwaco, 1 BS.Lewis Co.: 8 mi. W Chehallis, 2 BS; Chehallis, 2 BS; Toledo, 1 BS.Yakima Co.: Selah, 7 KU; Wiley City, 4 BS.Wahkiakum Co.: Cathlamet, 1 BS.Skamania Co.: 45 mi. SE Toledo, 2 BS; Carson, 1 BS; Stevenson, 1 BS; 15 mi. NW White Salmon, 1 BS.Klickitat Co.: Trout Lake, 15 mi. S Mt. Adams, 2 BS; 15 mi. N Goldendale, 1 WSC; Goldendale, 1 BS.Walla Walla Co.: College Place, 1 KU.Columbia Co.: Starbuck, 3 BS.Garfield Co.: 1 mi. E Pomeroy, 1 SGJ.Asotin Co.: 21 mi. SE Dayton, 1 BS; Rogersburg, 1 BS.Idaho:Bonner Co.: 4 mi. S Sandpoint, 1 UM.Kootenai Co.: Coeur d'Alene, 2 BS.Shoshone Co.: Osburry, 1 BS; Mullan, 2 BS.Latah Co.: Felton's Mills, 1 WSC; Cedar Mtn., 5 WSC.Lewis Co.: Nezperce, 2 BS.Idaho Co.: Seven Devils Mtn., 1 BS.Adams Co.: Summit of Smith Mtn., 7500 ft., 5 KU; New Meadows, 1 BS; Tamarack, 1 BS.Washington Co.: 1 mi. NE Heath, SW slope Cuddy Mtn., 4000 ft., 7 KU.Boise Co.: Bald Mtn. R. S., 10 mi. S Idaho City, 1 BS.Elmore Co.: Cayuse Creek, 10 mi. N Featherville, 1 BS.Canyon Co.: Nampa, 5 BS.Blaine Co.: Sawtooth City, 5 BS; Alturas Lake, 1 BS.Bonneville Co.: 10 mi. SE Irwin, 5 BS.Bannock Co.: Pocatello, 1 BS, 1 KU; 1 mi. W Bancroft, 1 KU; Swan Lake, 1 BS.Owyhee Co.: Grasmere, 1 SGJ.Cassia Co.: 10 mi. S Albion, Mt. Harrison, 1 BS.Montana:Sanders Co.: Prospect Creek, near Thomson Falls, 4 BS.Lake Co.: Flathead Lake, 5 BS.Ravalli Co.: Bass Creek, NW Stevensville, 2 BS; 2 mi. NE Stevensville, 1 UM; Corvallis, 4 BS; 6 mi. E Hamilton, 1 KU.Oregon:Clatsop Co.: Seaside, 1 BS.Washington Co.: 5 mi. SE Hillsboro, 1 BS; Beaverton, 1 BS.Multnomah Co.: Portland, 20 BS; Portland, Switzler Lake, 5 BS.Hood River Co.: 2 mi. W Parkdale, 1 BS; north slope Mt. Hood, 2 BS.Umatilla Co.: 10 mi. W Meacham, 2 BS; Meacham, 3 BS.Union Co.: Elgin, 2 BS; Kamela, 2 BS; Hot Lake, 2 BS.Wallowa Co.: 25 mi. N. Enterprise, 4 BS; Wallowa Lake, 23 BS; S Wallowa Lake, 1 BS.Clackamas Co.: Estacada, 1 KU.Marion Co.: Salem, 8 BS; Permilia Lake, 2 BS.Benton Co.: Corvallis, 2 BS; 5 mi. SW Philomath, 5 BS.Linn Co.: Shelburn, 1 BS.Jefferson Co.: 20 mi. W Warm Springs, 2 BS.Grant Co.: Beech Creek, 6 BS; Austin, 1 BS; Strawberry Butte, 1 BS; Strawberry Mts., 12 BS.Baker Co.: Homestead, 1 BS; Cornucopia, 11 BS; Rock Creek, 1 BS; Bourne, 7 BS; McEwen, 1 BS; Huntington, 1 BS; Anthony, 42 AMNH.Lane Co.: north slope Three Sisters, 3 BS; Vida, 1 BS; Mapleton, 1 BS; Eugene, 2 BS; 10 mi. SMcKenzie Bridge, 1 BS; Florence, 1 BS.Deschutes Co.: Paulina Lake, 7 BS; Lapine, 8 BS.Crook Co.: 1 SGJ.Douglas Co.: Winchester Bay, 1 SGJ; Scottsburg, 3 BS; Drain, 5 BS; Lookingglass, 1 BS; Diamond Lake, 6 BS.Coos Co.: Empire, 5 BS.Curry Co.: Port Orford, 1 BS; Gold Beach, 4 BS.Klamath Co.: Anna Creek, Mt. Mazama, 1 BS; Crater Lake, 14 BS; Upper Klamath Marsh, 2 BS; Ft. Klamath, 35 BS; Klamath Falls, 6 BS.Lake Co.: 10 mi. SW Silver Lake, 3 BS; west fork Silver Creek, Yamsay Mts., 4 BS; Plush, 1 BS; Warner Creek, Warner Mts., 1 BS; Warner Mts., 3 BS; Gearhart Mts., 17 SGJ;Harney Co.: Diamond, 2 BS; Keiger Gorge, Steens Mts., 3 BS.Malheur Co.: 8 mi. W Jordon Valley, 1 BS.Wyoming:Lincoln Co.: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 10 mi. N Afton, Salt River, 2 BS; 9 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 7 mi. N and 1 mi. W Afton, 4 KU; Cokeville, 1 BS; 12 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 2 KU; 6 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 1 KU.California:Del Norte Co.: Smith River, 2 BS; Crescent City, 20 BS.Siskiyou Co.: Beswick, 1 BS; Hornbrook, 3 BS; Brownell, Klamath Lake, 1 BS; Mayten, 2 BS; Squaw Creek, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Upper Ash Creek, Mt. Shasta, 1 BS; upper Mud Creek, Mt. Shasta, 8 BS; Wagon Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Warmcastle Soda Springs, Squaw Creek Valley, 2 BS; Sisson, 7 BS.Modoc Co.: Davis Creek, Goose Lake, 1 BS.Humboldt Co.:Humboldt Bay, 10 BS.Trinity Co.: Canyon Creek, 2 BS.Shasta Co.: Fort Crook, 11 BS; Dana, 17 BS; Fall Lake, Fall River Valley, 3 BS; Cassel, 2 BS; 12 mi. E Burney, 1 BS; Lassen Peak, 13 BS; Kellys, Warner Creek, 1 KU; Drakes Hot Springs, Warner Creek, 2 BS.Mendocino Co.: Russian Gulch State Park, 2 FC.Plumas Co.: 12 mi. NE Prattville, 2 BS; Spring Garden Ranch, Grizzly Mts., 3 BS; Sierra Valley, 1 BS.Sierra Co.: Lincoln Creek, 1 BS.Sonoma Co.: Petaluma, 3 BS; Point Reyes, 7 BS.Placer Co.: Donner, 3 BS.El Dorado Co.: Tallac, 3 BS.Mono Co.: Mt. Conness, 1 BS; Mono Lake, 1 BS; near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head of Owens River, 2 BS.Inyo Co.: Alvord, 1 BS.Nevada:Elko Co.: Mountain City, 1 BS; Three Lakes, 1 KU; west side Ruby Lake, 3 mi. N White Pine Co. line, 8 KU; Ruby Mts., 9 BS; W side Ruby Lake, 3 BS.White Pine Co.: W side Ruby Lake, 3 mi. S Elko Co. line, 1 KU.Nye Co.: Cloverdale, Reese River, 3 BS.Utah:Weber Co.: Beaver Creek, S Fork Ogden River, 2 UU; Huntsville, 10 mi. E Ogden, 1 UU; Hooper Bay Refuge, 4200 ft., 1 UU; Riverdale, 4200 ft., 3 UU; Riverdale, 4250 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SE Ogden, 2 UU; Snow Basin, 2 UU; Snow Basin, S part Wheeler Canyon, 1 UU; Uinta, 2 mi. W Weber Canyon entrance, 4 UU; 2 mi. W Uinta, 1 UU.Salt Lake Co.: City Creek Canyon, 6 mi. NE Salt Lake City, 4700 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. up City Creek Canyon, 4600 ft., 1 UU; ¾ mi. above Forks, City Creek Canyon, 1 UU; The Firs, Millcreek Canyon, 1 UU; Olympus Water Box, 1 UU; Salamander Lake, Lamb's Canyon, 9000 ft., 3 UU (nearobscurus); Salt Lake City, 7500 ft., 1 UU; 1 mi. W Draper, 4500 ft., 6 UU; Draper, 4500 ft., 5 UU; 1½ mi. SW Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SW Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 3 mi. S Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. S Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU.Juab Co.: W side Deep Creek Mts., Queen of Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft., 3 UU.Wasatch Co.: Midway Fish Hatchery, 5450 ft., 1 UU.Marginal records.—British Columbia: Okanagan; Westbridge; Kuskonook; Cranbrook.Montana: Flathead Lake; 6 mi. E Hamilton; Prospect Creek.IDAHO: Cedar Mtn.; New Meadows; Alturas Lake; 10 mi. SE Irwin.Wyoming: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton; 6 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage.Idaho: 1 mi. W Bancroft; Swan Lake.Utah: Beaver Creek, South Fork, Ogden River; Midway Fish Hatchery; west side Deep Creek Mts., Queen of Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft.Nevada: Baker Creek (Hall, 1946:120); Reese River (ibid.); 2 mi. S Hinds Hot Springs (ibid.).California: Mono Lake (Jackson, 1928:110); near Mammoth; Alvord; Mount Conness; Donner; Buck Ranch (Jackson, 1928:110); Warner Creek, Drake Hot Springs (ibid.); Canyon Creek; Cuddeback (Jackson, 1928:105); Novato Point (ibid.), thence northward along the coast toWashington: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.British Columbia: Port Moody.Sorex vagrans obscuroidesnew subspeciesType.—First year female, skin and skull; No. 30064/42074, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 9, 1891, by Frank Stephens from Bishop Creek, 6600 ft., Inyo Co., California, original no. 811.Range.—The Sierra Nevada of California, north at least to El Dorado County, intergrading northerly withS. v. vagrans.Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 107 (103-112); tail, 47 (45-50); hind foot, 12.8 (12-13.5). Skull relatively broad interorbitally; color of dorsum in summer pelage nearest (17´´´k) Olive Brown.Comparisons.—Differs fromS. v. vagrans, with which it intergrades to the north, in: longer tail and total length; skull larger and relatively broader interorbitally; color in summer grayer (less reddish), the lighter subterminal color bands of the hair often showing through the darker tips and imparting a grizzled appearance to the dorsum. Differs fromS. v. parvidensto the south in: skull relatively broader interorbitally and less flattened; teeth slightly larger.Remarks.—S. v. obscuroideshas long been calledS. v. obscurus. In fact,obscuroidesis separated from the range ofobscurusby the intervening, smaller subspeciesS. v. vagrans.S. v. obscuroidesresemblesS. v. obscurusin color and size but the skull is smaller, although relatively slightly broader. The resemblance in color is possibly due to the fact thatobscuroides, likeobscurus, is a high mountain form.S. v. obscuroidesintergrades withS. v. vagransalong the crest of the Sierra between Yosemite National Park and Lassen Peak and on the eastern slope of the Sierra from approximately Mammoth northward. Specimens from Donner are intergrades but are closest toS. v. vagrans. Although all specimens from Lassen Peak are referable toS. v. vagrans, some show cranial characters ofobscuroides.Specimens examined.—Total number, 76.California:Mono Co.: Mt. Dana, 6 BS; Mt. Lyell, 11 BS.Mariposa Co.: Tuolumne Meadows, Muir Meadow, 9300 ft., 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Mt. Unicorn, 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, N base Mt. Lyell, 8 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Soda Springs, 4 BS; Lake Tenaya, 5 BS.Madera Co.: San Joaquin River, 8000 ft., 4 BS.Fresno Co.: Horse Corral Meadows, 3 BS.Mono Co.: head of Owens River near Mammoth, 2 BS.Inyo Co.: Bishop Creek, 5 BS; Round Valley, 1 BS.Tulare Co.: E. Fork Kaweah River, 7 BS; Mt. Whitney, 5 BS; Whitney Creek, Mt. Whitney, 4 ChM; Whitney Meadows, 9700 ft., 1 BS; Mineralking, 2 BS; N. Fork Kern River, 9600 ft., 1 BS; S. Fork Kern River, 4 BS; Kern Lakes, 1 BS.Marginal records.—California: Pyramid Peak; near Mammoth;Round Valley; Bishop Creek; Mt. Whitney; Kern Lakes; Halstead Meadows; Horse Corral Meadows; east fork Indian Canyon (Jackson, 1928:121).Sorex vagrans parvidensJacksonSorex obscurus parvidensJackson, Jour. Mamm., 2:161, August 19, 1921.Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 56561, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on October 3, 1893, by J. E. McLellan from Thurmans Camp, Bluff Lake, 7500 ft., San Bernardino Mts., California.Range.—Confined, so far as known, to the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, San Bernardino Co., California.Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; measurements of two specimens from the San Bernardino Mountains are: total length, 105, 106; tail, 41, 48; hind foot, 12, 14. Upper parts in summer Olive-Brown to Buffy-Brown;cranium flattened and relatively narrow; unicuspids and incisors relatively small.Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. obscuroides, the only adjacent subspecies, see the account of that subspecies.Remarks.—S. v. parvidensis seemingly an uncommon mammal. I have been informed by Terry Vaughan that repeated attempts by him to obtain it in suitable habitat in the San Gabriel Mountains failed. This shrew is probably no longer in reproductive continuity withSorex vagransof the Sierra Nevada.Specimens examined.—Total number, 4.California:San Bernardino Co.: type locality, 4 BS.Marginal records.—California: Camp Baldy, San Antonio Canyon (Jackson, 1928:124); type locality.Sorex vagrans halicoetesGrinnellSorex halicoetesGrinnell, Univ. California Publ. Zool., 10:183, March 20, 1913.Sorex vagrans halicoetes, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:108, July 24, 1928.Type.—Young adult male, skin and skull; No. 3638, Mus. Vert. Zool.; obtained on May 6, 1908, by Joseph Dixon from salt marsh near Palo Alto, Santa Clara Co., California.Range.—Marshes in the southern part of San Francisco Bay, California.Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; measurements of two topotypes are: total length, 105, 106; tail, 39, 40; hind foot, 12, 13. Upper parts in winter Chaetura Black or near Fuscous-Black; underparts brownish; upper parts in summer near (17´m) Mummy Brown; underparts with a decided buffy wash, near (15´d) Light Ochraceous Buff; rostrum relatively large; maxillary tooth-row relatively long; teeth relatively large.Comparisons.—Darker ventrally, both summer and winter, thanS. v. vagrans; slightly more reddish dorsally in summer pelage thanS. v. vagrans, rostrum and teeth relatively larger; smaller externally thanS. v. paludivagus, paler; skull longer, narrower cranially and broader rostrally.Remarks.—This subspecies seems to be restricted to salt marshes where it occurs withSorex ornatus.Specimens examined.—Total number, 12.California:San Francisco Co.: San Francisco, 4 BS.Alameda Co.: West Berkeley, 1 BS; Berkeley, 1 BS; Dumbarton Point, 1 KU.San Mateo Co.: San Mateo, 2 BS.Santa Clara Co.: Palo Alto, 3 BS.Marginal records.—California: Berkley,Elmhurst;Palo Alto; San Mateo.Sorex vagrans paludivagusvon BloekerSorex vagrans paludivagusvon Bloeker, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 52:93, June 5, 1939.Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 5053, Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, obtained on November 3, 1938, by Jack C. von Bloeker, Jr., from salt marsh at mouth of Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, Monterey Co., California, original no. 9456.Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 6 topotypes are: total length, 115 (113-118); tail, 46.5 (42-48); hind foot, 14.5 (14-15) (von Bloeker, 1939:94). In winter nearly black dorsally, deep mouse gray ventrally; in summer nearly as dark dorsally as in winter, hairs ofventer tipped with Clove Brown; skull short, relatively broad cranially and relatively narrow rostrally.Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. halicoetessee account of that subspecies.Remarks.—This subspecies, occurring at the limits of the range of the species, is uncommon in most collections. Seven specimens were available for the original description. The summer pelage is not completely described in the original description, but is stated to be darker than the winter pelage ofS. v. vagrans, and must thus be considerably darker than the summer pelage ofS. v. halicoetes. Two specimens in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, from San Gregario, referred by Jackson toS. v. halicoetes, were included in the present subspecies by von Bloeker.Specimens examined.—None.Records of occurrence(von Bloeker, 1939:94).—California:San Mateo Co.: San Gregario.Monterey Co.: Seaside; mouth of Salinas River; Moss Landing.Marginal records.—California: San Gregario; Seaside.Sorex vagrans vancouverensisMerriamSorex vancouverensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:70, December 31, 1895.Sorex vagrans vancouverensis, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:106, July, 1928.Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 71913, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on May 10, 1895, by Clark P. Streator, from Goldstream, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.Range.—Vancouver Island from Sayward south, and Bowen Island.Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 6 specimens from Alberni Valley, Vancouver Island, are: total length, 106.5 (97-115); tail, 41.7 (40-43); hind foot, 12 (11-13) (Jackson, 1928:107). Ventral parts brownish, winter pelage reddish brown rather than grayish.Comparisons.—Differs fromS. v. vagransin more brownish ventral parts and more brownish, rather than grayish, winter pelage; differs from the sympatricS. v. isolatusin shorter tail, shorter hind foot, more narrow skull, and smaller teeth.Remarks.—This is a poorly differentiated subspecies which is closely related toS. v. vagrans. The differences in color noted are average ones. Some individuals of this shrew might be difficult to separate fromS. v. isolatus. The slight degree of morphological divergence is such that intergrades might be expected to occur. Possibly some habitat separation occurs, but such has not been reported.Specimens examined.—Total number, 3.British Columbia: Vancouver Island: Mt. Washington, 1 KU; Nanaimo, 1 BS; type locality, 1 BS.Marginal records.—British Columbia: Sayward (Anderson, 1947:18); Bowen Island (Hall, 1938:463); Alberni (Jackson, 1928:107).CONCLUSIONS1.Sorex vagrans,S. obscurus,S. pacificus, andS. yaquinaeare conspecific with one another. Each is a valid subspecies but all should bear the specific nameSorexvagransBaird, 1858.2.The subspecies ofSorex vagransform a cline from large (pacificus) to small (vagrans). The cline is bent in such a manner that the terminal subspecies occur together. Where the two subspecies occur together, individuals of one subspecies do not crossbreed with individuals of the other subspecies and therefore react toward one another as do full species.Sorexvagrans vagransoccurs sympatrically withS. v. sonomae,S. v. pacificus,S. v. yaquinae,S. v. bairdi,S. v. permiliensis, andS. v. setosus.S. v. vancouverensisoccurs sympatrically withS. v. isolatus.3.The sympatric existence of the terminal subspecies of theSorexvagransrassenkreis is made possible by marked differences between them in size and in ecological preference.4.The west-coast subspecies,sonomae,pacificus,yaquinae,bairdi, andpermiliensisprobably differentiated from the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain subspecies,vagrans,obscurusandmonticola, during a separation caused first by aridity in the Great Basin, and secondly by glaciation of the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, possibly in the Sangamonian and Wisconsinan ages respectively.5.Sorex v. vagransoriginated in the Great Basin and arrived on the Pacific Coast after the last deglaciation of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada.6.InS. vagrans, heterogonic growth is illustrated; the larger the skull, the larger the rostrum in proportion to the skull as a whole.7.In the speciesS. vagrans, size and color vary geographically more than do other features.8.TheS. ornatusgroup,S. longirostris, andS.veraepacishad a common ancestor withS. vagrans, possibly in the Illinoian Age.9.S. vagrans, theS. ornatusgroup,S. veraepacis,S. longirostris,S. palustris,S. bendiri, and theS. cinereusgroup, because of structural resemblances, should be placed in a single subgenus,Otisorex.S.trowbridgii, theS. arcticusgroup, theS. saussureigroup,S. merriami,S. fumeus, andS. dispar, should be included in the subgenusSorex.10.Sorex cinereusoccurs with the medium-sized and large-sizedS. vagransin the Rocky Mountains and in Canada, but does not occur with the smaller subspecies ofS. vagrans, probably because competition between two shrews of like size excludesS. cinereus.Table 1—Cranial Measurements of Sorex vagransCatalog numberor number ofindividuals averagedCondylobasal lengthPalatal lengthMaxillary tooth-rowCranial breadthLeastinterorbitalbreadthMaxillary breadthSorex vagrans pacificus, Orick, California.8 av21.89.68.610.44.16.6Max22.810.29.011.14.36.8Min21.39.38.410.24.16.4Sorex vagrans yaquinae, Newport, Oregon.707 AW20.18.97.69.33.75.7706 AW19.38.87.39.34.05.8Mapleton, Oregon.205273 USBS20.69.08.29.94.26.0205270 USBS20.48.97.99.33.76.0205272 USBS9.28.34.06.1Vida, Oregon.4 av19.58.47.59.23.65.5Max20.38.87.99.53.75.7Min19.38.27.38.93.55.3McKenzie Bridge, Oregon.6 av18.98.27.19.1(5)3.75.6Max19.58.67.69.43.85.7Min18.78.06.88.43.65.4Sorex vagrans bairdi, Astoria, Oregon.6 av18.57.87.08.9(4)3.45.3Max19.28.17.49.03.55.5Min18.07.66.98.93.25.2Sorex vagrans permiliensis, Mt. Jefferson, Oregon.14 av18.07.56.89.03.55.2Max18.97.97.29.43.75.3Min17.27.26.58.63.34.8Sorex vagrans setosus, Olympic Mts., Washington.12 av17.2(9)7.16.58.5(8)3.35.0Max17.97.46.88.73.45.3Min16.76.96.28.33.04.8Mt. Rainier, Washington.16 av17.27.16.58.4(14)3.35.0Max17.67.36.78.73.55.2Min16.46.56.18.13.24.7Sorex vagrans longicauda, head Rivers Inlet, B.C.15 av18.07.46.78.73.25.0Max18.47.66.98.93.35.2Min17.67.26.48.43.14.8Port Simpson, British Columbia.10 av18.1(9)7.67.08.93.45.1Max18.87.87.29.23.65.4Min17.27.26.68.53.34.9Fort Wrangell, Alaska.18 av18.57.8(15)7.19.0(15)3.35.1Max18.98.07.39.23.55.3Min17.87.56.78.63.25.0Sorex vagrans elassodon, Woewodsky Is., Alaska.20550 AMNH18.07.56.78.73.35.020553 AMNH17.57.16.38.33.24.7Sorex vagrans alascensis, 9 mi. W and 4 mi. N Haines, Alaska.10 av17.27.26.78.53.14.9Max17.67.46.98.83.35.0Min16.96.96.58.23.04.7Yakutat Bay, Alaska.73543 USBS18.07.56.8...3.25.073536 USBS18.07.66.88.83.45.373541 USBS17.97.46.78.83.15.2Sorex vagrans shumaginensis, Sandpoint, Popof Is., Alaska.9 av17.2(5)7.06.38.3(7)3.14.8Max17.67.26.68.53.25.1Min16.86.86.18.03.04.7Sorex vagrans obscurus, Barkerville, British Columbia.5 av17.17.16.58.5(4)3.34.8Max17.37.36.68.63.35.0Min16.66.76.48.23.24.610 mi. SSW Leadore, Idaho.7 av17.2(4)7.3(9)6.68.6(4)3.35.0Max17.37.56.88.93.45.1Min17.07.16.48.33.24.7Albany Co., Wyoming (several localities).20 av17.37.36.88.7(19)3.25.2Max17.97.66.99.03.45.5Min16.76.96.58.43.15.0Sorex vagrans longiquus, 25 mi. ESE Big Sandy, Montana.87332 UM16.46.86.28.23.04.887334 UM16.87.16.38.13.24.787335 UM15.86.76.08.43.14.9Highwood Mts., Montana.10 av16.3(9)6.76.28.0(9)3.14.7Max16.96.96.48.33.35.0Min15.66.56.07.83.04.5Sorex vagrans neomexicanus, Cloudcroft, New Mexico.4 av17.6(3)7.67.08.73.35.2Max17.77.77.18.83.45.4Min17.47.47.08.53.25.1Sorex vagrans monticola, White Mts., Arizona.12 av16.1(9)6.65.9(9)8.23.1(11)4.7Max16.67.06.18.53.34.9Min15.56.55.68.13.04.6Sorex vagrans orizabae, Volcan Toluca, Mexico.55900 USBS17.16.96.27.82.94.555898 USBS17.16.86.18.03.04.855897 USBS16.86.96.17.92.94.6Sorex vagrans vagrans, Lincoln Co., Wyoming.7 av16.5(6)6.66.18.22.94.7Max17.17.06.48.53.14.9Min16.06.45.97.92.94.5Gearhart Mtn., Lake Co., Oregon.17 av16.5(15)6.65.98.12.94.6Max17.17.06.68.53.14.9Min16.16.25.77.82.84.4Willapa Bay, Washington.9 av16.66.86.28.12.84.7Max17.27.16.48.33.15.0Min16.26.65.97.92.74.6Sorex vagrans obscuroides, Bishop Creek, California.4 av16.77.06.38.23.24.8Max16.87.16.48.33.44.9Min16.66.96.28.13.14.7Mt. Whitney, California.4 av16.7(3)6.96.38.43.34.8Max16.77.06.48.53.45.0Min16.76.76.18.43.14.7Sorex vagrans parvidens, San Bernardino Peak, California.56559 USBS17.17.06.18.02.94.856558 USBS16.46.86.18.03.04.8
Sorex vagrans neomexicanusBailey
Sorex obscurus neomexicanusBailey, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 26:133, May 21, 1913.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 100440, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on May 29, 1900, by Vernon Bailey, from Cloudcroft, 9000 ft., Otero Co., New Mexico.
Range.—Sacramento and Capitan Mountains of New Mexico.
Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 4 topotypes are: total length, 105.2 (103-107); tail, 41.0 (39-42); hind foot, 13.1 (12.5-14). Color near Olive Brown in summer; winter pelage unknown; skull large and relatively broad; teeth relatively large.
Comparisons.—Skull larger than that ofS. v. obscurusand relatively somewhat broader; much larger in all cranial dimensions thanS. v. monticola.
Remarks.—S. v. neomexicanusis a well-marked subspecies seemingly limited to the mountains of southeastern New Mexico. It is the only species ofSorexthus far recorded from that area.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 12.New Mexico:Otero Co.: SW slope Capitan Mts., 2 BS; 10 mi. NE Cloudcroft, 2 BS; Cloudcroft, 7 BS, 1 UM.
Marginal records.—New Mexico: SW slope Capitan Mts.; 10 mi. NE Cloudcroft; type locality.
Sorex vagrans monticolaMerriam
Sorex monticolusMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 3:43, September 11, 1890.
Sorex vagrans monticola, Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:69, December 31, 1895.
Sorex melanogenysHall, Jour. Mamm., 13:260, August 9, 1932, type from Marijilda Canyon, 8600 ft., Graham Mts. [= Pinaleno Mts.] Graham Co., Arizona.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 17599/24535, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 28, 1899, by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey from San Francisco Mtn., 11,500 ft., Coconino Co., Arizona.
Range.—Mountains of western New Mexico, eastern Arizona, and the northern Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 12 specimens from the White Mountains, Arizona, are: total length, 104.3 (98-112); tail, 41.2 (37-45); hind foot, 12.0 (11-13). Summer pelage between (15´m) Proutts Brown and (15´´m) Bister, venter tinged with (15´f) Pale Ochraceous Buff; winter pelage near (17´´´k) Olive Brown; skull relatively broad.
Comparisons.—For comparisons withS. v. obscurusandS. v. neomexicanussee accounts of those subspecies. Skull slightly larger and relatively broader than that ofS. v. orizabae, and color slightly paler. Differs fromS. v. vagransin: winter pelage grayish (near 17´´´kOlive Brown) rather than blackish (17´´´´kor 17´´´´mChaetura Drab or Chaetura Black); summer pelage slightly grayer; skull relatively slightly broader rostrally and interorbitally.
Remarks.—S. v. monticolaintergrades gradually withS. v. obscurusto the north and east; indeed the type locality is actually in this area of intergradation. So far as I know,monticolais not in reproductive continuity with any other subspecies ofSorex vagrans. Specimens from southeastern Arizona are the smallest and seem to be the most "typical" in the sense that they are most different fromS. v. obscurus. Some specimens from the whole length of the Rocky Mountain chain in the United States have for years been referred tomonticola. Some of these, as I have pointed out, belong toS. v. longiquus, and others are intergrades betweenS. v. obscurusandS. v. vagrans. Sincevagransandmonticolaresemble one another somewhat, and since topotypes ofS. v. monticolaactually show the influence of intergradation withobscurus, it is easy to understand how intergrades betweenobscurusandvagranscould have been assigned tomonticola.
Throughout most of its range,S. v. monticolais the onlySorexpresent. In some placesmonticolamay occur withS. nanusorS. merriami.S. v. monticolaoccurs with the water shrew in southeastern Arizona.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 80.
Arizona:Coconino Co.: San Francisco Mtn., 3 BS, 6 CMNH.Apache Co.: Spruce Creek, Tunitcha Mts., 7 BS; Springerville, 1 BS; North Fork White River, White Mts., 12 SD; White River, Horseshoe Cienega, 8300 ft., White Mts., 5 BS; Mt. Thomas, 9500 to 11,000 ft., White Mts., 12 BS; Little Colorado River, White Mts., 4 BS; near head Burro Creek, 9000 ft., White Mts., 1 BS.Graham Co.: Graham Mts., 9200 ft., 2 BS.Greenlee Co.: Prieto Plateau, 9000 ft., S. end Blue Range, 1 BS.Pima Co.: Summerhaven, 7500 ft., Santa Catalina Mts., 3 BS, 1 SD.Cochise Co.: Fly Park, Chiricahua Mts., 4 BS; Rustler Park, Chiricahua Mts., 1 SD; Long Park, Chiricahua Mts., 1 UM; Huachuca Mts., 1 BS.Santa Cruz Co.: Stone Cabin Canyon, 8500 ft., Santa Rita Mts., 1 BS.
New Mexico:San Juan Co.: Chusca Mts., 1 BS.Catron Co.: Mogollon Mts., 3 BS; 10 mi. E Mogollon, 1 KU.Socorro Co.: Copper Canyon, Magdalena Mts., 3 BS.Sierra Co.: Mimbres Mts., near Kingston, 1 BS.
Chihuahua: Sierra Madre, near Guadalupe y Calvo, 5 BS.
Marginal records.—Arizona: Tunitcha Mts.New Mexico: Chusca Mts.; Copper Canyon, Magdalena Mts.; Mimbres Mts., near Kingston.Chihuahua: Guadalupe y Calvo.Arizona: Huachuca Mts.; Santa Catalina Mts.; White River, Horseshoe Cienega, 8300 ft., White Mts.; San Francisco Mtn.
Sorex vagrans orizabaeMerriam
Sorex orizabaeMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December 31, 1895.
Sorex vagrans orizabae, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:113, July 24, 1928.
Type.—Adult female, skin and skull; No. 53633, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on April 24, 1893, by E. W. Nelson from W slope of Mt. Orizaba, 9,500 ft., Puebla.
Range.—Transverse volcanic belt of mountains at the southern end of the Mexican Plateau.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; measurements of 3 specimens from Volcan Toluca, Mexico, are: total length, 98, 100, 108; tail, 35, 39, 40; hind foot, 13, 13, 14. Summer pelage Mummy Brown tending toward Olive Brown; Fuscous to Fuscous-Black in winter; skull and teeth relatively narrow.
Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. monticolasee account of that subspecies.
Remarks.—The range ofS. v. orizabaeprobably is not now in contact with that of any other subspecies ofS. vagrans, although judging by the slight degree of difference betweenorizabaeandmonticolathe separation between the two has not been of great duration.
Sorex vagrans orizabaeoccurs withS. saussurei saussureithroughout the transverse volcanic belt.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 23.
Michoacán: Patambán, 1 BS; Nahuatzín, 3 BS; Mt. Tancítaro, 4 BS.
Mexico: Salazar, 2 BS, 1 KU; Volcan de Toluca, 3 BS.
Tlaxcala: Mt. Malinche, 2 BS.
Puebla: Mt. Orizaba, 6 BS.
Veracruz: Cofre de Perote, 1 BS.
Marginal records.—Michoacán:Patambán.Veracruz: Cofre de Perote.Puebla:Mt. Orizaba.Michoacán: Mt. Tancítaro.
Sorex vagrans vagransBaird
Sorex vagransBaird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1, Mammals, p. 15, July 14, 1858.
Sorex suckleyiBaird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1, Mammals, p. 18, July 14, 1858, type from Steilacoom, Pierce Co., Washington.
Sorex dobsoniMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 5:33, July 30, 1891, type from Alturas or Sawtooth Lake, altitude about 7200 ft., E base Sawtooth Mts., Blaine Co., Idaho.
Sorex amoenusMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:69, December 31, 1895, type from near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head Owens River, E slope Sierra Nevada, Mono Co., California.
Sorex nevadensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December 31, 1895, type from Reese River, 6000 ft., Nye-Lander Co. line, Nevada.
Sorex shastensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 16:87, October 28, 1899, type from Wagon Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5700 ft., Siskiyou Co., California.
Type.—Adult male, alcoholic; No. 1675, U. S. Nat. Mus.; obtained at Shoalwater (Willapa) Bay, Pacific Co., Washington; received from J. G. Cooper, and entered in Museum catalog on October 23, 1856.
Range.—The Great Basin, and Columbia Plateau west across the mountains to the Pacific coast of northern California, Oregon, Washington and southwestern British Columbia.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 8 topotypes are: total length, 104.1 (99-109); tail, 43.3 (42-45); hind foot, 12.9 (12-14). Summer pelage ranging from (15´k) Cinnamon Brown through (15´m) Proutt's Brown to (17´m) Mummy Brown. Winter pelage (13´´´´m) Fuscous Black to (17´´´´m) Chaetura Black.
Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. monticolasee account of that subspecies. Differs fromS. v. halicoetesin relatively narrower and more attenuate rostrum and in less brownish underparts in winter pelage; smaller and more brownish (less grayish) thanSorex vagransfrom the southern Sierra Nevada.
Fig. 18.Probable geographic ranges ofSorex vagrans vagrans, its derivative subspecies, andS. v. mixtus.1.S. v. vancouverensis2.S. v. vagrans3.S. v. halicoetes4.S. v. paludivagus5.S. v. obscuroides6.S. v. mixtus
Fig. 18.Probable geographic ranges ofSorex vagrans vagrans, its derivative subspecies, andS. v. mixtus.1.S. v. vancouverensis2.S. v. vagrans3.S. v. halicoetes4.S. v. paludivagus5.S. v. obscuroides6.S. v. mixtus
Remarks.—Restriction of the range ofS. v. monticolato Arizona and New Mexico leaves shrews that were formerly assigned to this subspecies from Utah, Idaho, Washington and southern British Columbia unassigned. Several names are available for consideration. The nameSorex vagrans dobsoniMerriam, 1891, type locality Alturas Lake, Blaine Co., Idaho, was once applied to small shrews from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, but was considered by Jackson to be synonymous withS. v. monticola. The nameSorex vagrans amoenusMerriam, 1895, type locality near Mammoth, Mono Co., California, has been applied to wandering shrews from western Nevada, northeastern California and southern Oregon.Sorex vagrans nevadensisMerriam, 1895, type locality Reese River on Nye-Lander Co. line, Nevada was considered by Hall (1946:119) to be synonymous withS. v. amoenus. Specimens ofSorex vagranswestof the Cascade Mountains have long been referred to the nominate subspecies which has its type locality at Willapa Bay, Pacific Co., Washington. Over so wide an area it is only to be expected that some geographic variation is to be found. Thus specimens from central Nevada average slightly paler in summer pelage than those from the Pacific Coast or from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. In addition there are slight average differences in size from place to place. Topotypes ofS. v. vagrans, however, show a fair degree of variability and some are nearly as pale as the paler Great Basin stocks. Furthermore topotypical individuals ofvagranscan be lost in series ofS. v. amoenus, althoughamoenusis shorter-tailed on the average. Specimens from the western foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains show an amazing series of relationships with the montaneS. v. obscurus. In Utah, as previously pointed out, complete intergradation occurs. At 1 mi. N Heath, Washington Co., Idaho, the lowland and the highland forms approach each other within a short distance and still maintain a degree of distinctness, especially in size. In northwestern Montana intergradation is extensive (Clothier, 1950). In northeastern Washington distinctly separable populations occur within a few miles of one another. In southern British Columbia some populations are clearly intergrades while at 6 mi. S Yahk intergradation seemingly has not taken place. Where some intergradation has occurred the result often has been increased size of the lowland shrews, although they usually retain the reddish summer pelage rather than acquiring the more grayish pelage ofobscurus. The namedobsoniwas based upon shrews from a place where lowland and highland forms occur almost together with only a slight amount of intergradation. Examples of "dobsoni" may not with certainty be distinguished from typicalvagransexcept that they are, as Merriam (1895:68-69) points out, somewhat larger. Merriam (loc. cit.) further notes thatdobsoniis "intermediate in size and cranial characters betweenS. vagransandobscurus;" a statement which hits very close to the heart of the matter. I consider the namedobsonito apply to intergrades. To attempt to apply the name to the highly variable populations of intergrades from British Columbia to southern Idaho seems inadvisable. I have examined the possibility of using the nameamoenusfor the animals from this region. The characters which setamoenusapart fromvagrans, slightly shorter tail and slightly darker summer pelage, however, are not universally found in shrews from the Columbian Plateau and eastern Great Basin and furthermore these differences betweenamoenusandvagransdo not seem to me to be of great enoughmagnitude to warrant subspecific recognition of the former. Thus the nameS. v. vagransmay apply to shrews in the region under consideration. The subspecies, as thus thought of, embraces several incipient subspecies, namely (1) the populations on the isolated mountain ranges of Nevada, (2) the coastal rain forest population and possibly (3) the population on the Columbian Plateau.
In western British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon no evidences of intergradation betweenS. v. vagransand the racessetosus,permiliensis,bairdi,yaquinae, orpacificusare seen. In this regionS. v. vagransoccurs sympatrically with one or the other of these subspecies. Different degrees of differentiation thus obtain between the subspeciesvagransas here defined and the surrounding subspecies ofSorex vagransto wit: complete intergradation and allopatry in Utah withS. v. obscurus; partial intergradation and partial sympatry withS. v. obscurusin the foothill region from Idaho to British Columbia; no intergradation and complete sympatry with all the other races ofSorex vagransfrom the Cascades to the coast and south to San Francisco Bay. The relationship ofS. v. vagransto the wandering shrews of the high Sierra is discussed on page 58.
Throughout most of the Great Basin and Columbian PlateauSorex vagransis, with the exception of the rareS. merriamiandS. preblei, the only small shrew. In the Cascades and in the coastal lowlands it is the only small shrew except forS. cinereusandS. trigonirostris, both extremely rare and local in this region.S. vagransseemingly competes to a certain extent with the largerS. trowbridgiiin western Washington and seems to be partially dominant totrowbridgii, at least in marshy habitats (Dalquest, 1941:171).
Specimens examined.—Total number, 1197.
British Columbia:Osoyoos District: Okanagan, 20 PMBC; Okanagan Landing, 2 PMBC; Nahun Plateau, 2 PMBC.Vancouver District: Vancouver, 2 PMBC.New Westminister District: Port Moody, 16 BS; Westminster Jct., 4 AMNH; Langley, 1 BS; Vedder Crossing, 1 PMBC; Huntingdon, 69 NMC; Sumas, 16 BS; Cultus Lake, 1 NMC.Similkameen District: Princeton, 6 Mile Creek, 1 NMC. Hedley, Stirling Creek, 7 NMC; Fairview-Keremeos Summit, 5 NMC; Oliver, 1 NMC; Westbridge, 6 NMC; Osoyoos, 1 PMBC; Osoyoos-Bridesville Summit, 4 NMC; Cascade, 7 NMC.Nelson District: Kuskonook, 1 PMBC; Rossland, 14 NMC; Trail, 2 NMC; Creston, 4 PMBC, 4 NMC; near Creston, 7 NMC.Cranbrook District: Cranbrook, 5 BS; Yahk, 2 NMC; Yahk Camp 6, 2 NMC; Goatfell, 2 NMC.Fernie District: Newgate, 3 NMC.
Washington:Whatcom Co.: Blaine, 1 BS; Beaver Creek, 5 WSC; Glacier, 1 BS; Mt. Baker Lodge, 1 WSC; Lake Whatcom, 1 BS; Barron, 2 BS.Okanogan Co.: Sheep Mtn., 3 BS; E. end Bauerman Ridge, 1 BS; Oroville, 1 BS; Hidden Lakes, 1 BS; Loomis, 1 BS; Conconully, 1 BS; Twisp, 1 BS.Ferry Co.: 5 mi. W Curlew, 2 BS.Stevens Co.: Marcus, 1 BS.Pend Oreille Co.: Canyon, 1 WSC; Metaline, 2 BS; Sullivan Lake, 1 BS.San Juan Co.: East Sound, Orcas Island, 3 BS; Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, 1 BS; San Juan Park, 2 WSC; Blakely Island, 1 KU; Richardson, 6 BS.Skagit Co.: Cypress Island, 1 KU; Hamilton, 1 BS; Sauk, 1 BS; Avon, 3 BS; Mt. Vernon, 2 BS; La Conner, 5 BS.Island Co.: San de Fuca, Whidby Island, 3 BS; Greenbank, Whidby Island, 2 BS; 3 mi. N Clinton, Whidby Island, 1 BS.Snohomish Co.: Oso, 2 BS; Hermosa Point, Tulalip Indian Reservation, 7 mi. W and ½ mi. N Marysville, 3 KU.Chelan Co.: Entiat, 2 BS.Lincoln Co.: 6 mi. E Odessa, 4 BS.Spokane Co.: Marshall, 7 BS.Clallam Co.: Neah Bay, 29 BS; 8 mi. W Sekin River, 1 WSC; mouth Sekin River, 1 WSC; Dungeness, 1 BS; Port Townsend, 3 BS; Ozette Indian Reservation, 1 CMNH; Sequim, 4 BS; Tivoli Island, Ozette Lake, 1 CMNH; Garden Island, Ozette Lake, 3 CMNH; Elwah, 1 WSC; Blyn, 1 BS; Soleduck River, 1 BS; 12 mi. S Port Angeles, 1 WSC; Forks, 9 CMNH, 1 BS; Cat Creek, 1 WSC; Lapush, 5 BS.Jefferson Co.: Jefferson Ranger Station, N Fork Hoh River, 5 CMNH; Duckabush, 6 BS.Kitsap Co.: Vashon Island, 2 BS.King Co.: Redmont, 2 BS; Kirkland, 20 BS; Seattle, 1 WSC, 3 KU; Northbend, 2 BS: Lake Washington, near Renton, 2 BS; Kent, 1 BS; Enumclaw, 1 BS.Grays Harbor Co.: Lake Quinault, 9 BS; Aberdeen, 20 BS; Westport, 5 BS, 2 WSC; Oakville, 1 BS.Mason Co.: Lake Cushman, 11 BS; Hoodsport, 1 BS; North Fork Skokomish River, 1 BS; Shelton, 2 BS.Pierce Co.: Puyallup, 6 BS; Steilacoom, 1 BS; 6 mi. S Tacoma, 2 BS; Roy, 3 BS; Bear Prairie, Mt. Rainier, 1 BS; Reflection Lake, Mt. Rainier, 1 WSC.Kittitas Co.: Blewett Pass, 3 BS; Easton, 3 BS; 2 mi. E Cle Elum, 4 FC; Ellensburg, 2 BS.Grant Co.: Moses Lake, 1 BS; 9 mi. S and 1 mi. W Neppel, 1 UM.Whitman Co.: Hangman Creek, Tekoa, 1 WSC; 4 mi. ENE Pullman, 1 KU; 2 mi. N Pullman, 2 WSC; 2 mi. NW Pullman, 1 WSC; 2 mi. W Pullman, 1 WSC; Pullman, 5 WSC; Armstrong, 1 WSC; 5 mi. NE Wawawai, 1 BS; Wawawai, 5 WSC.Thurston Co.: Nisqually Flats, 2 BS; Nisqually, 1 BS; 4 mi. S Olympia, 1 BS; Tenino, 4 BS.Pacific Co.: Tokeland, 4 BS; 1 mi. S Nemah, 2 FC; 1 mi. N Bear River, Willapa Bay, 8 FC; ¼ mi. N Bear River, 3 FC; 3½ mi. E Seaview, 6 FC; Ilwaco, 1 BS.Lewis Co.: 8 mi. W Chehallis, 2 BS; Chehallis, 2 BS; Toledo, 1 BS.Yakima Co.: Selah, 7 KU; Wiley City, 4 BS.Wahkiakum Co.: Cathlamet, 1 BS.Skamania Co.: 45 mi. SE Toledo, 2 BS; Carson, 1 BS; Stevenson, 1 BS; 15 mi. NW White Salmon, 1 BS.Klickitat Co.: Trout Lake, 15 mi. S Mt. Adams, 2 BS; 15 mi. N Goldendale, 1 WSC; Goldendale, 1 BS.Walla Walla Co.: College Place, 1 KU.Columbia Co.: Starbuck, 3 BS.Garfield Co.: 1 mi. E Pomeroy, 1 SGJ.Asotin Co.: 21 mi. SE Dayton, 1 BS; Rogersburg, 1 BS.
Idaho:Bonner Co.: 4 mi. S Sandpoint, 1 UM.Kootenai Co.: Coeur d'Alene, 2 BS.Shoshone Co.: Osburry, 1 BS; Mullan, 2 BS.Latah Co.: Felton's Mills, 1 WSC; Cedar Mtn., 5 WSC.Lewis Co.: Nezperce, 2 BS.Idaho Co.: Seven Devils Mtn., 1 BS.Adams Co.: Summit of Smith Mtn., 7500 ft., 5 KU; New Meadows, 1 BS; Tamarack, 1 BS.Washington Co.: 1 mi. NE Heath, SW slope Cuddy Mtn., 4000 ft., 7 KU.Boise Co.: Bald Mtn. R. S., 10 mi. S Idaho City, 1 BS.Elmore Co.: Cayuse Creek, 10 mi. N Featherville, 1 BS.Canyon Co.: Nampa, 5 BS.Blaine Co.: Sawtooth City, 5 BS; Alturas Lake, 1 BS.Bonneville Co.: 10 mi. SE Irwin, 5 BS.Bannock Co.: Pocatello, 1 BS, 1 KU; 1 mi. W Bancroft, 1 KU; Swan Lake, 1 BS.Owyhee Co.: Grasmere, 1 SGJ.Cassia Co.: 10 mi. S Albion, Mt. Harrison, 1 BS.
Montana:Sanders Co.: Prospect Creek, near Thomson Falls, 4 BS.Lake Co.: Flathead Lake, 5 BS.Ravalli Co.: Bass Creek, NW Stevensville, 2 BS; 2 mi. NE Stevensville, 1 UM; Corvallis, 4 BS; 6 mi. E Hamilton, 1 KU.
Oregon:Clatsop Co.: Seaside, 1 BS.Washington Co.: 5 mi. SE Hillsboro, 1 BS; Beaverton, 1 BS.Multnomah Co.: Portland, 20 BS; Portland, Switzler Lake, 5 BS.Hood River Co.: 2 mi. W Parkdale, 1 BS; north slope Mt. Hood, 2 BS.Umatilla Co.: 10 mi. W Meacham, 2 BS; Meacham, 3 BS.Union Co.: Elgin, 2 BS; Kamela, 2 BS; Hot Lake, 2 BS.Wallowa Co.: 25 mi. N. Enterprise, 4 BS; Wallowa Lake, 23 BS; S Wallowa Lake, 1 BS.Clackamas Co.: Estacada, 1 KU.Marion Co.: Salem, 8 BS; Permilia Lake, 2 BS.Benton Co.: Corvallis, 2 BS; 5 mi. SW Philomath, 5 BS.Linn Co.: Shelburn, 1 BS.Jefferson Co.: 20 mi. W Warm Springs, 2 BS.Grant Co.: Beech Creek, 6 BS; Austin, 1 BS; Strawberry Butte, 1 BS; Strawberry Mts., 12 BS.Baker Co.: Homestead, 1 BS; Cornucopia, 11 BS; Rock Creek, 1 BS; Bourne, 7 BS; McEwen, 1 BS; Huntington, 1 BS; Anthony, 42 AMNH.Lane Co.: north slope Three Sisters, 3 BS; Vida, 1 BS; Mapleton, 1 BS; Eugene, 2 BS; 10 mi. SMcKenzie Bridge, 1 BS; Florence, 1 BS.Deschutes Co.: Paulina Lake, 7 BS; Lapine, 8 BS.Crook Co.: 1 SGJ.Douglas Co.: Winchester Bay, 1 SGJ; Scottsburg, 3 BS; Drain, 5 BS; Lookingglass, 1 BS; Diamond Lake, 6 BS.Coos Co.: Empire, 5 BS.Curry Co.: Port Orford, 1 BS; Gold Beach, 4 BS.Klamath Co.: Anna Creek, Mt. Mazama, 1 BS; Crater Lake, 14 BS; Upper Klamath Marsh, 2 BS; Ft. Klamath, 35 BS; Klamath Falls, 6 BS.Lake Co.: 10 mi. SW Silver Lake, 3 BS; west fork Silver Creek, Yamsay Mts., 4 BS; Plush, 1 BS; Warner Creek, Warner Mts., 1 BS; Warner Mts., 3 BS; Gearhart Mts., 17 SGJ;Harney Co.: Diamond, 2 BS; Keiger Gorge, Steens Mts., 3 BS.Malheur Co.: 8 mi. W Jordon Valley, 1 BS.
Wyoming:Lincoln Co.: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 10 mi. N Afton, Salt River, 2 BS; 9 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 7 mi. N and 1 mi. W Afton, 4 KU; Cokeville, 1 BS; 12 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 2 KU; 6 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 1 KU.
California:Del Norte Co.: Smith River, 2 BS; Crescent City, 20 BS.Siskiyou Co.: Beswick, 1 BS; Hornbrook, 3 BS; Brownell, Klamath Lake, 1 BS; Mayten, 2 BS; Squaw Creek, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Upper Ash Creek, Mt. Shasta, 1 BS; upper Mud Creek, Mt. Shasta, 8 BS; Wagon Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Warmcastle Soda Springs, Squaw Creek Valley, 2 BS; Sisson, 7 BS.Modoc Co.: Davis Creek, Goose Lake, 1 BS.Humboldt Co.:Humboldt Bay, 10 BS.Trinity Co.: Canyon Creek, 2 BS.Shasta Co.: Fort Crook, 11 BS; Dana, 17 BS; Fall Lake, Fall River Valley, 3 BS; Cassel, 2 BS; 12 mi. E Burney, 1 BS; Lassen Peak, 13 BS; Kellys, Warner Creek, 1 KU; Drakes Hot Springs, Warner Creek, 2 BS.Mendocino Co.: Russian Gulch State Park, 2 FC.Plumas Co.: 12 mi. NE Prattville, 2 BS; Spring Garden Ranch, Grizzly Mts., 3 BS; Sierra Valley, 1 BS.Sierra Co.: Lincoln Creek, 1 BS.Sonoma Co.: Petaluma, 3 BS; Point Reyes, 7 BS.Placer Co.: Donner, 3 BS.El Dorado Co.: Tallac, 3 BS.Mono Co.: Mt. Conness, 1 BS; Mono Lake, 1 BS; near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head of Owens River, 2 BS.Inyo Co.: Alvord, 1 BS.
Nevada:Elko Co.: Mountain City, 1 BS; Three Lakes, 1 KU; west side Ruby Lake, 3 mi. N White Pine Co. line, 8 KU; Ruby Mts., 9 BS; W side Ruby Lake, 3 BS.White Pine Co.: W side Ruby Lake, 3 mi. S Elko Co. line, 1 KU.Nye Co.: Cloverdale, Reese River, 3 BS.
Utah:Weber Co.: Beaver Creek, S Fork Ogden River, 2 UU; Huntsville, 10 mi. E Ogden, 1 UU; Hooper Bay Refuge, 4200 ft., 1 UU; Riverdale, 4200 ft., 3 UU; Riverdale, 4250 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SE Ogden, 2 UU; Snow Basin, 2 UU; Snow Basin, S part Wheeler Canyon, 1 UU; Uinta, 2 mi. W Weber Canyon entrance, 4 UU; 2 mi. W Uinta, 1 UU.Salt Lake Co.: City Creek Canyon, 6 mi. NE Salt Lake City, 4700 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. up City Creek Canyon, 4600 ft., 1 UU; ¾ mi. above Forks, City Creek Canyon, 1 UU; The Firs, Millcreek Canyon, 1 UU; Olympus Water Box, 1 UU; Salamander Lake, Lamb's Canyon, 9000 ft., 3 UU (nearobscurus); Salt Lake City, 7500 ft., 1 UU; 1 mi. W Draper, 4500 ft., 6 UU; Draper, 4500 ft., 5 UU; 1½ mi. SW Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SW Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 3 mi. S Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. S Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU.Juab Co.: W side Deep Creek Mts., Queen of Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft., 3 UU.Wasatch Co.: Midway Fish Hatchery, 5450 ft., 1 UU.
Marginal records.—British Columbia: Okanagan; Westbridge; Kuskonook; Cranbrook.Montana: Flathead Lake; 6 mi. E Hamilton; Prospect Creek.IDAHO: Cedar Mtn.; New Meadows; Alturas Lake; 10 mi. SE Irwin.Wyoming: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton; 6 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage.Idaho: 1 mi. W Bancroft; Swan Lake.Utah: Beaver Creek, South Fork, Ogden River; Midway Fish Hatchery; west side Deep Creek Mts., Queen of Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft.Nevada: Baker Creek (Hall, 1946:120); Reese River (ibid.); 2 mi. S Hinds Hot Springs (ibid.).California: Mono Lake (Jackson, 1928:110); near Mammoth; Alvord; Mount Conness; Donner; Buck Ranch (Jackson, 1928:110); Warner Creek, Drake Hot Springs (ibid.); Canyon Creek; Cuddeback (Jackson, 1928:105); Novato Point (ibid.), thence northward along the coast toWashington: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.British Columbia: Port Moody.
Sorex vagrans obscuroidesnew subspecies
Type.—First year female, skin and skull; No. 30064/42074, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 9, 1891, by Frank Stephens from Bishop Creek, 6600 ft., Inyo Co., California, original no. 811.
Range.—The Sierra Nevada of California, north at least to El Dorado County, intergrading northerly withS. v. vagrans.
Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 107 (103-112); tail, 47 (45-50); hind foot, 12.8 (12-13.5). Skull relatively broad interorbitally; color of dorsum in summer pelage nearest (17´´´k) Olive Brown.
Comparisons.—Differs fromS. v. vagrans, with which it intergrades to the north, in: longer tail and total length; skull larger and relatively broader interorbitally; color in summer grayer (less reddish), the lighter subterminal color bands of the hair often showing through the darker tips and imparting a grizzled appearance to the dorsum. Differs fromS. v. parvidensto the south in: skull relatively broader interorbitally and less flattened; teeth slightly larger.
Remarks.—S. v. obscuroideshas long been calledS. v. obscurus. In fact,obscuroidesis separated from the range ofobscurusby the intervening, smaller subspeciesS. v. vagrans.S. v. obscuroidesresemblesS. v. obscurusin color and size but the skull is smaller, although relatively slightly broader. The resemblance in color is possibly due to the fact thatobscuroides, likeobscurus, is a high mountain form.S. v. obscuroidesintergrades withS. v. vagransalong the crest of the Sierra between Yosemite National Park and Lassen Peak and on the eastern slope of the Sierra from approximately Mammoth northward. Specimens from Donner are intergrades but are closest toS. v. vagrans. Although all specimens from Lassen Peak are referable toS. v. vagrans, some show cranial characters ofobscuroides.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 76.California:Mono Co.: Mt. Dana, 6 BS; Mt. Lyell, 11 BS.Mariposa Co.: Tuolumne Meadows, Muir Meadow, 9300 ft., 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Mt. Unicorn, 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, N base Mt. Lyell, 8 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Soda Springs, 4 BS; Lake Tenaya, 5 BS.Madera Co.: San Joaquin River, 8000 ft., 4 BS.Fresno Co.: Horse Corral Meadows, 3 BS.Mono Co.: head of Owens River near Mammoth, 2 BS.Inyo Co.: Bishop Creek, 5 BS; Round Valley, 1 BS.Tulare Co.: E. Fork Kaweah River, 7 BS; Mt. Whitney, 5 BS; Whitney Creek, Mt. Whitney, 4 ChM; Whitney Meadows, 9700 ft., 1 BS; Mineralking, 2 BS; N. Fork Kern River, 9600 ft., 1 BS; S. Fork Kern River, 4 BS; Kern Lakes, 1 BS.
Marginal records.—California: Pyramid Peak; near Mammoth;Round Valley; Bishop Creek; Mt. Whitney; Kern Lakes; Halstead Meadows; Horse Corral Meadows; east fork Indian Canyon (Jackson, 1928:121).
Sorex vagrans parvidensJackson
Sorex obscurus parvidensJackson, Jour. Mamm., 2:161, August 19, 1921.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 56561, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on October 3, 1893, by J. E. McLellan from Thurmans Camp, Bluff Lake, 7500 ft., San Bernardino Mts., California.
Range.—Confined, so far as known, to the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, San Bernardino Co., California.
Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; measurements of two specimens from the San Bernardino Mountains are: total length, 105, 106; tail, 41, 48; hind foot, 12, 14. Upper parts in summer Olive-Brown to Buffy-Brown;cranium flattened and relatively narrow; unicuspids and incisors relatively small.
Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. obscuroides, the only adjacent subspecies, see the account of that subspecies.
Remarks.—S. v. parvidensis seemingly an uncommon mammal. I have been informed by Terry Vaughan that repeated attempts by him to obtain it in suitable habitat in the San Gabriel Mountains failed. This shrew is probably no longer in reproductive continuity withSorex vagransof the Sierra Nevada.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 4.California:San Bernardino Co.: type locality, 4 BS.
Marginal records.—California: Camp Baldy, San Antonio Canyon (Jackson, 1928:124); type locality.
Sorex vagrans halicoetesGrinnell
Sorex halicoetesGrinnell, Univ. California Publ. Zool., 10:183, March 20, 1913.
Sorex vagrans halicoetes, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:108, July 24, 1928.
Type.—Young adult male, skin and skull; No. 3638, Mus. Vert. Zool.; obtained on May 6, 1908, by Joseph Dixon from salt marsh near Palo Alto, Santa Clara Co., California.
Range.—Marshes in the southern part of San Francisco Bay, California.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; measurements of two topotypes are: total length, 105, 106; tail, 39, 40; hind foot, 12, 13. Upper parts in winter Chaetura Black or near Fuscous-Black; underparts brownish; upper parts in summer near (17´m) Mummy Brown; underparts with a decided buffy wash, near (15´d) Light Ochraceous Buff; rostrum relatively large; maxillary tooth-row relatively long; teeth relatively large.
Comparisons.—Darker ventrally, both summer and winter, thanS. v. vagrans; slightly more reddish dorsally in summer pelage thanS. v. vagrans, rostrum and teeth relatively larger; smaller externally thanS. v. paludivagus, paler; skull longer, narrower cranially and broader rostrally.
Remarks.—This subspecies seems to be restricted to salt marshes where it occurs withSorex ornatus.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 12.California:San Francisco Co.: San Francisco, 4 BS.Alameda Co.: West Berkeley, 1 BS; Berkeley, 1 BS; Dumbarton Point, 1 KU.San Mateo Co.: San Mateo, 2 BS.Santa Clara Co.: Palo Alto, 3 BS.
Marginal records.—California: Berkley,Elmhurst;Palo Alto; San Mateo.
Sorex vagrans paludivagusvon Bloeker
Sorex vagrans paludivagusvon Bloeker, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 52:93, June 5, 1939.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 5053, Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, obtained on November 3, 1938, by Jack C. von Bloeker, Jr., from salt marsh at mouth of Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, Monterey Co., California, original no. 9456.
Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 6 topotypes are: total length, 115 (113-118); tail, 46.5 (42-48); hind foot, 14.5 (14-15) (von Bloeker, 1939:94). In winter nearly black dorsally, deep mouse gray ventrally; in summer nearly as dark dorsally as in winter, hairs ofventer tipped with Clove Brown; skull short, relatively broad cranially and relatively narrow rostrally.
Comparisons.—For comparison withS. v. halicoetessee account of that subspecies.
Remarks.—This subspecies, occurring at the limits of the range of the species, is uncommon in most collections. Seven specimens were available for the original description. The summer pelage is not completely described in the original description, but is stated to be darker than the winter pelage ofS. v. vagrans, and must thus be considerably darker than the summer pelage ofS. v. halicoetes. Two specimens in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, from San Gregario, referred by Jackson toS. v. halicoetes, were included in the present subspecies by von Bloeker.
Specimens examined.—None.
Records of occurrence(von Bloeker, 1939:94).—California:San Mateo Co.: San Gregario.Monterey Co.: Seaside; mouth of Salinas River; Moss Landing.
Marginal records.—California: San Gregario; Seaside.
Sorex vagrans vancouverensisMerriam
Sorex vancouverensisMerriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:70, December 31, 1895.
Sorex vagrans vancouverensis, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:106, July, 1928.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 71913, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on May 10, 1895, by Clark P. Streator, from Goldstream, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Range.—Vancouver Island from Sayward south, and Bowen Island.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; average and extreme measurements of 6 specimens from Alberni Valley, Vancouver Island, are: total length, 106.5 (97-115); tail, 41.7 (40-43); hind foot, 12 (11-13) (Jackson, 1928:107). Ventral parts brownish, winter pelage reddish brown rather than grayish.
Comparisons.—Differs fromS. v. vagransin more brownish ventral parts and more brownish, rather than grayish, winter pelage; differs from the sympatricS. v. isolatusin shorter tail, shorter hind foot, more narrow skull, and smaller teeth.
Remarks.—This is a poorly differentiated subspecies which is closely related toS. v. vagrans. The differences in color noted are average ones. Some individuals of this shrew might be difficult to separate fromS. v. isolatus. The slight degree of morphological divergence is such that intergrades might be expected to occur. Possibly some habitat separation occurs, but such has not been reported.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 3.British Columbia: Vancouver Island: Mt. Washington, 1 KU; Nanaimo, 1 BS; type locality, 1 BS.
Marginal records.—British Columbia: Sayward (Anderson, 1947:18); Bowen Island (Hall, 1938:463); Alberni (Jackson, 1928:107).
CONCLUSIONS
Table 1—Cranial Measurements of Sorex vagrans