812 



MONOGRAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



rately ascertained by Dr. A. L. Heermann in 1853, who at that time trans- 

 mitted specimens to the Smithsonian Institution. The species was redescribed 

 by Professor Baird in 1859, from Dr. Heermann's specimen, and from a skin 

 in alcohol received from Mr. J. G. Bell, who erroneously supposed it came 

 from Wisconsin. Soon after this date, a large suite of more than twenty 

 specimens was received at the Smithsonian Institution from Mr. John Xantus, 

 who collected them about San Jose' and Cape Saint Lucas, at the southern 

 extremity of the peninsula of Lower California. It has been since obtained 

 by Dr. D. C. Peters, at Fort Massachusetts, N. Mex.; by Dr. Palmer, at Camp 

 Grant, Ariz.; by Mr. F. BisehofT, in Nevada;* and by Mr. II. W. Henshaw, 

 at Cove Creek, Utah, and in Southern California. Its known range hence 

 extends from Northwestern New Mexico westward across Southern Utah and 

 Southern Nevada to California, and southward along the coast to the southern 

 point of Lower California. It probably extends in the interior far southward 

 into Western Mexico. It is, however, essentially a species of the deserts. 

 Mr. Henshaw f speaks of it as living in communities, on dry sandy plains, 

 where there is very little vegetation. It. thus differs in habits from the other 

 species of Tamias, which are all woodland species, and in its preference for 

 open plains quite resembles the Spcrmophiles. 



Table LXXVI. — Measurements of five skulls of Tamias harrisi. 



* Dr. Coues informs mc that ho has inspected a drawing of a specimen secured at Pyramid Lake, 

 Nevada. 



t Ann. Eep. Chief Engineers for 1876, App. JJ, p. 311. 



