TRAVEL PATH CHARACTERISTICS FOR FREE-LIVING WHITE-FOOTED MICE (PEROMYSCUS-LEUCOPUS)

Characteristics of the travel paths of white-footed mice (Peromyscus l eucopus) were examined by tracking animals marked with fluorescent pig ment in a wooded site in northeastern Kansas. Based on 84 trails made by 49 individuals, it was concluded that tops of structural features ( rocks, branches, logs, or rock fence) were selectively used for nightt ime travel. Trails averaged 41.7% structural features (SE = 6.0%), whe reas sample points 20 cm away from trails averaged 18.0% structural fe atures (SE = 1.8%). This pattern of use of structural features did not differ between male and female mice. Nighttime illumination (accordin g to the moon phase) and season did not affect the proportion of struc tural features used along travel paths; this suggests that risk from v isual predators was not driving the pattern of use of structural featu res for travel paths by white-footed mice. Rather, white-footed mice m ay have used surface structure for travel because structural features provide paths that are more easily traveled and remembered. Trees were climbed infrequently (0.6 trees per 100 m of trail), but more in autu mn (1.9 trees per 100 m of trail) than in other seasons (0.2 trees per 100 m of trail), which likely resulted from greater availability of s eeds, nuts, and fruits during autumn than during other seasons.