408 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



stomach contents consisted of insects, while no insects were 

 found in the cheek pouches, the latter invariably containing 

 nothing but seeds. This is what might have been ex- 

 pected, as the food laid up for winter is carried in the cheek 

 pouches." 



Though storage is highly developed in the Ground-squirrel 

 the reason for it is not quite clear. The capacious cheek 

 pouches with which it is provided are in daily use all through 

 the season. In illustration of this and of their size and the 

 owner's tastes I quote from my Journal: 



"Carberry, Man., July 25, 1892. Collected a female 

 Ground-squirrel that had in her cheek pouches 34 grains 

 of wild oats {Stipa spartea)." 



Concerning the storage of food, Kennicott states :^^ "This 

 is done in spring and summer, as well as in autumn. Consider- 

 able stores of grain, seeds, roots, etc., are found thus collected 

 in large side-chambers, excavated for their reception, in 

 the burrow. Corn, wheat, and oats are stored up, when 

 taken from the newly planted fields in the spring, with buck- 

 wheat and winter wheat later in the season, as well as heads of 

 grain taken from the edges of the field in harvest time. I have 

 seen more than a quart of crab-apples taken from the burrow 

 of one which had carried them several rods from a tree. 

 George and Frank Kennicott inform me that they observed 

 one, the burrow of which was near a lone burr-oak, on the 

 prairie, to carry great quantities of acorns into his hole; and 

 another was killed by them, the cheek pouches of which were 

 crammed with the dry ovaries of a prairie plant, the seeds of 

 which were exceedingly minute. From this it would appear 

 that the Striped Spermophile at all seasons carries portable 

 articles of food to its burrow to be eaten. He certainly takes 

 no food from the time he first becomes torpid, in autumn, until 

 he again becomes active." 



For what reason, then, does it store up all this food ? We 

 are forced to believe that it is done, not for winter use, but for 

 the times during its active six months, when food is too scarce 



" Quad. Ill, 1857, p. 77. 



