Three of four species of diurnal
mammals have been reported as living on Wizard Island in Crater Lake.
The mammals are, the brown coney,
Ochotona princeps brunnescens Howell; the golden-mantled ground
squirrel, Callospermophilus chrysodeirus chrysodeirus (Merriam);
and a chipmunk. The latter might be Allen's Chipmunk, Eutamias
townsendii senex (Allen), or the smaller Eutamias amoenus amoenus
(Allen), the Klamath Chipmunk. Both species of chipmunks may have been
seen.
On July 28, 1937, twenty delusion
(live) mouse traps were set along the trail leading to the top of Wizard
Island. The traps were set among lava rocks and under logs. These traps
took two adult female Mazama red-backed mice, Clethrionomys
californicus mazama (Merriam). These mice are relatively rare
specimens in trap-lines and very little is known about their life
history. It is an interesting fact that the type specimen of this
subspecies was taken by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey on the south
side of Crater Lake, August 15, 1896. The two trapped specimens closely
resemble in color and measurements the specimens described by Bailey.*
The measurements tabulated below are in millimeters.
| Total Length |
Tail
Vertebrae |
Foot |
Ear |
| 162.8 |
51.5 |
19.0 |
11.2 |
| 157.2 |
53.7 |
18.4 |
12.0 |
It may be seen from the above that the
two specimens of Mazama red-backed mice have tails about one-half the
length of the body and small ears. They also have small eyes. They are
bright reddish brown along the back with greyer flanks and a pale
cream-colored ventral surface.
On August 8 twenty delusion mouse traps
and twenty large and small snap traps were set on the north slope of
Wizard Island. The delusion traps took four deer mice, Peromyscus
maniculatus ssp., and the snap traps took one Peromyscus,
some coneys and golden-mantled ground squirrels. Only one Peromyscus
was an adult. It measured 172.3 x 81.8 x 22.3 x 18.4. These measurements
are duplicated by specimens taken along the rim; in color the specimen
presented no obvious differences from the mainland type. No chipmunks
were taken at this time nor in a previous night's trapping, and none
have been seen on the island this year (1937).
The mammalian fauna of Wizard Island is
interesting because no one knows how the animals got there. Coneys are
common inside the rim of Crater Lake but they never venture any distance
from the home rock slide. Swimming Skell Channel, the narrowest arm of
water between the island and the mainland, would be quite out of
character for them. It seems improbable that they would venture out of
their winter retreats and cross the island on ice. Golden-mantled ground
squirrels are in hibernation in the winter. It seems quite improbable
that they would swim across although this method of transportation may
be possible.
Peromyscus swim readily. They could easily have been transported by
a boat, a method of travel which would also be open to squirrels and
chipmunks. The habits of red-backed mice are insufficiently know to
venture comment on how they got to Wizard Island.
While visiting the island during the
summer months Dr. R. M. Bond found signs indicating the presence of
either a fox or a bobcat. It seems quite possible that a more extended
investigation might show, in addition to deer mice, Mazama red-backed
mice, ground squirrels, and coneys, the presence of which has already
been determined, or past occupancy, of still other mammals of Wizard
Island.
*Bailey, Vernon, The Mammals and Life
Zones of Oregon, N. Amer. Fauna No. 55, U.S.D.A. Bur. of Biol. Sur.,
June 1936.
