THE CONY

Cony, Pika, Little Chief Hare, Rock Rabbit -- this interesting dweller of the rock slides seems to have a variety of names and added to the list is his technical moniker, Ochotona princeps brunnescens. He is essentially an inhabitant of the rock slides of the Hudsonian Zone but last summer one was located in a similar habitat along the road to the Public Camp Grounds at Longmire Springs. This spring three more conies have been located at this altitude.

His characteristic bleat could not be mistaken for anything else and closer inspection revealed their presence at the point where our ears had told us we might see them. He is a timid little animal, about the size of a Guinea Pig, who might look like a Rabbit were it not for his round ears. Most certainly the barren rock slides would lose much of their charm if the Cony were not present in this habitat.

JUST HERE AND THERE

One of the most interesting Park residents is the Snowshoe Rabbit who changes color with the season. Not so long ago he was white and closely resembled the snowbanks over which he traveled. Now we see them about Longmire in the process of exchanging the white coat for the summer mode -- one of brown -- and their spotted appearance certainly attracts a lot of attention. And just as an indication of the difference a few feet in elevation will make in general conditions the Snowshoe Rabbits at the Park Entrance, 700 feet lower than Longmire, are now totally brown.

The chipmunks have been out of hibernation for quite some time now and the other day a Rufus Hummingbird and a Pileated Woodpecker were seen.