Franklin Ground-squirrel 377 



seen, but the colour that the coat was to be, was clearly shown 

 in the tinting of the skin. One of them was 3! inches long, of 

 which the tail was | of an inch, the others were similar. 



In number they vary from 4 to 7. They are suckled for 

 five or six weeks, and about the first of August, when about a 

 third grown, they begin to come out of the holes and forage for 

 themselves. 



There is but one litter each season. 



This is the most active of the Ground-squirrels; even a speed 

 terrier has little chance to catch it in its favourite under- 

 growth. It seems to know this very well, and will voice its 

 shrill defiance again and again at the dog in pursuit. 



I once put a Scrub Ground-squirrel into a cage with a men- 

 Yellow Ground-squirrel that had been there for some time. 

 At first it seemed afraid of its big cousin, but soon plucked up 

 courage enough to attack and defeat him. It frequently 

 uttered its loud musical whistle, while the Yellow one did 

 nothing but chatter his teeth. 



The next day I ofi^ered this individual some water. It drinks 

 drank greedily and noisily, but not copiously. Thus it dlff^ers 

 from its two relatives in that it needs a supply of water. Per- 

 haps this fact will be found important in its distribution. 



The flesh-eating propensities of the group to which it food 

 belongs are well known, and the Gray Ground-squirrel ofiPers 

 no exception to the family habit. It is less carnivorous than 

 the Striped species, yet loses no chance to eat a meal of flesh. 

 The one from which I made the drawing gnawed its way out of 

 the cage one night and ate the head off^ a newly mounted 

 prairie-chicken before escaping for good. 



"One observed by Dr. Hoy did not eat Mice, though it 

 killed them when placed in its cage. Its food is generally 

 similar to that of the Striped Spermophile, stores being also 

 found in its burrow. It gnaws hard substances more than the 



