aps available,
much of the area shown was not thoroughly trapped. Woodrats were
abundant, though much less so than in 1947, as shown by the large number
of deserted houses.

(B) Map of woodrat study area, same as shown in (A), showing
first-capture sites for all woodrats live-trapped in 1949. Woodrats were
still moderately abundant, but much below the level of the previous
year. Triangles indicate those capture sites not sampled in 1948.

(C) Map of woodrat study area, same as shown in (A), showing
first-capture sites for all woodrats live-trapped in 1950. Numbers were
medium-low, having undergone drastic reduction from the peak level.
Triangles indicate those capture sites where trapping was not done in
earlier years.

(D) Map of woodrat study area, same as shown in (A), showing
first-capture sites for all woodrats live-trapped in 1951. The
population was low, but had not yet reached its lowest ebb.

(E) Map of woodrat study area, same as shown in (A), showing
first-capture sites for all woodrats live-trapped in 1952, when the
population had declined to relatively low numbers and disappeared from
much of its former habitat.

(F) Map of the 590-acre Natural History Reservation, showing the area
where woodrats were studied.

No. 2. On gently sloping hilltop edge 15 feet from the
outcrop and escarpment, built around a forked walnut sapling
having both trunks approximately five inches in diameter.
The sapling, coming up through the center of the house at a
45 deg. angle, evidently had been bent by the accumulated weight
of the debris at an early stage of its growth, many years
before. Trees were small in this part of the woods, with a
well developed understory thicket of coralberry and sumac.
This house approximately one foot high and six feet wide,
was constructed mainly of sticks and was similar in
composition to No. 1, but appeared considerably older with
all the sticks blackened and rotten. In the autumn of 1948
this house was used by woodrats, but probably only as a
temporary stopping place, because it was already in
disrepair then.

No. 3. At edge of escarpment, 25 feet from No. 2, on a flat
boulder approximately six feet long, three feet wide and one
foot thick. The decaying and much flattened mass of sticks
was mainly on top of the boulder, but also spilled over its
edges. Fresh sign was noted at this hous