Striped Ground-squirrel 



399 



/5 feet 



Fig. 122 — Striped Spermophile's Playground, Manitoba, 1882. 



Burrow 2 or 3 inches below surface ; 8 entrances. The fact that all the 

 entrances were open is important in contrast with the plugging of the 

 doorways to the home clen. 



The burrows of the Striped Spermophile are distinguished dens. 

 from those of the Yellow species by their smaller size (of barely 

 two-inch calibre instead of three), also they are on the level 

 ground. They usually go straight down for six or seven 

 inches, sometimes much farther, and rarely have any earth 

 mound visible at the door. Apparently the animal is at pains 

 to hide the entrance, so 

 gets rid of the earth- 

 pile by scattering 

 it. Bailey remarks: ^ 

 "Though many of the 

 burrows open on 

 smooth, bare ground, 

 with nothing to conceal 

 them, the entrances are 

 more commonly hidden 

 by a bunch of grass, 



and sometimes a dried weed, a piece of paper, or an old rag 

 is drawn over the entrance." 



They are of at least two kinds. 



First, a labyrinth of many galleries with many entrances. 

 This is close under the sod, rarely more than three or four 

 inches down. I take it to be a mere playground and refuge; 

 doubtless, also, it serves to mislead such enemies as might be 

 in search of the Ground-squirrel's nest. (Fig. 122). 



Second, the nesting burrow. This also is a labyrinth, but 

 deeper than the first kind, and it has a large, comfortable 

 chamber about nine inches in diameter, with many approaches, 

 and more than one entrance. This chamber is about six inches 

 down, and is lined with fine, dry grass. 



At Carberry, September 8, 1904, I dug out the Ground- 

 squirrel nest from which I made the diagram shown in Fig. 

 123. I did not see the rightful occupant, but suppose from its 

 size and character that it was the work of a Striped-gopher. 

 In one place, as marked, was found a salamander {Ambystoma 

 tigrinum). It was not dormant but very sluggish. Several 



" Rep. Pr. Grd. Sq., 1893, p. Z2>. 



