18S7.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 173 



this ciitiiloj^iie, as speciiuens taken at Fort Keacliug by Dr. Hauiiuoud, 

 and at Fort Crook by Captain Feiluer, have been referred to the variety 

 Bceoheyi. 



Spermophilus Ricliardsoni Townsendi (li;uhiiiaii). TowiincKd's iS2)cnnophilt'. 



I found this speeies on the eastern sh)[)e of the Sierra Nevadas, in 

 Lassen County, where it was abundant, replaeiny;" the two preeedinj; 

 species. It is a typical Spermophile in its habits, gathering in commu- 

 nities in suitable places, such as are afforded by the open meadows in- 

 terspersed through this coniferous region. 



It is never found far from these open glades and makes no solitary 

 burrows as chipmunks do. Althougii from its gregarious life it is at 

 once recognized as a Spermophile, its smaller size and short erected tail 

 render it strikingly chipmunk-like when running. 



The Lined-tailed Spermophiles run by comparatively easy bounds, 

 with their long tails gracefully curved, but this fellow scurries over the 

 ground making all sorts of contortions, with his stunted tail pointed 

 skyward. When sitting erect he applies the caudal appendage flat to 

 the ground as a prop, and with fore paws drawn close to the body 

 looks from a distance like a stake in the ground, suggesting at once 

 the yame "picket-i^in," by which it is known to the hunters and herders 

 of the region. More than once have 1 mistaken the erect motionless 

 form of this Spermophile for a picket-pin in the grass. 



Sciurus hudsonius Fremonti (Add. and Bauli.). FrcmonVs Chickaree. 



Not uncommon in the pines of Lassen County, the only i)lace it was 

 found. This, with the following variety and intermediate grades, has 

 been obtained at Fort Crook by Feiluer and Parkinson: 



