Distribution of Some Nebraskan Mammals

A concise field report from the early 1950s captures a handful of Nebraska’s lesser‑known mammals as they were encountered across the state’s varied habitats. Drawing on recent specimens collected by university teams and a handful of other museum collections, the author records detailed measurements, color notes, and precise localities for shrews, short‑tailed shrews, big brown bats, and even a solitary gray squirrel. The narrative explains that an upcoming military deployment prompted the rapid documentation of these findings, preserving data that might otherwise have been lost.

The paper’s value lies in how it expands the known geographic ranges of several species, pushing southern limits for a particular shrew and confirming the presence of a bat subspecies previously thought absent from the area. By providing clear, measurement‑based descriptions, it offers a solid baseline for later ecological and conservation work, while also giving a vivid glimpse into mid‑century field naturalism on the Great Plains.