44 Zoology of Colorado 



The comparatively large rock squirrel, Otospermophilus gram- 

 murus of Say, was discovered by Long's expedition, the type 

 locality being on the Purgatory River in Las Animas County. 

 The bushy tail is a good distinguishing feature. It is common 

 in rocky places along the eastern side of the front range, and has 

 also been found in the San Luis Valley. Warren says: "Their 

 food is seeds and nuts, acorns, and when living near orchards 

 they are known to do considerable damage to such fruits as 

 apricots, by tearing off the soft parts to get at the stone, from 

 which the seed is extracted and carried away." In western 

 Colorado this is replaced by the race C. g. utah of Merriam, with 

 the hind part of the body more reddened, and the tail proportion- 

 ately a little longer, but Mr. Warren finds it doubtfully separable. 



The Antelope-squirrel, Ammospermophilus leucurus cinna- 

 momeus of Merriam, was first known from the Painted Desert in 

 Arizona, but also lives in western Colorado, as at Grand Junction, 

 Hotchkiss, and near Montrose. Warren states that the common 

 name is due to the fact that as it runs it elevates the tail over the 

 back, showing the white under surface and giving the appearance 

 of a white rump like an antelope's. There is a white stripe on 

 each side of the back. The remaining two genera are chipmunks, 

 the popular name a corruption of the Ojibway Indian designation. 

 In Callospermophilus (meaning beautiful seedlover) the lateral 

 white stripes, placed much as in the Antelope-squirrel, are heavily 

 bordered with black. C. lateralis of Say, another discovery of 

 Long's expedition, is the very common big chipmunk of our 

 mountains. Both this and the small chipmunk are very sociable 

 and tame at Long's Peak Inn; a visitor, little versed in zoology, 

 was heard to express the opinion that the big ones were derived 

 from the small, as the result of a liberal diet of peanuts. In Routt 

 County a paler species, C. wortmcni of Allen, has been taken by 

 Warren. It is an inhabitant of dry country, as its lighter color 

 would suggest. 



The small chipmunks, genus Eutamias, are common and va- 

 ried, but the separation of the different kinds requires critical 

 study. The first to be recorded was E. quadrivittatus of Say, the 

 four light vittae or stripes alternating with dark ones, there being 

 five of the latter, one in the middle and two on each side. This 

 pattern, varying in distinctness, is found in all the small chip- 



