EASTERN CHIPMUNK 



Eastern Chipmunk. — Tamias striatus 



and related forms 



Names. — Chipmunk; Common Chipmunk; Eastern Chip- 

 munk; Chipping Squirrel; Hackee. Plate XXIV. 



General Description. — A small, terrestrial Squirrel, with 

 conspicuous dorsal stripes; flattened and hairy tail; well- 

 developed cheek-pouches; alert, nervous behavior; and high- 

 pitched, jerky call-note. Head rounded, ears prominent but 

 short and rounded. 



Color. — Sexes alike in color ; some seasonal variation. 



Upperparts. — Summer: Grizzled rusty red to reddish brown 

 from nose to rump, clearest and brightest on rump; five black- 



FiG. 53. Eastern Chipmunk 



ish stripes extending from shoulders to rump, arranged as 

 follows: a black median stripe running from between ears 

 almost to root of tail, most conspicuous from shoulders to 

 hips; on either side of the median stripe is a narrow band of 

 the grizzled reddish or chestnut body color; then on either 

 side are two dark stripes, shoulders to hips, separated by a 

 light-colored stripe, bright buffy to whitish. While these 

 dark and light stripes are brilliantly conspicuous along most 

 of their extent, they fade away more gradually into the body 

 color of the neck and shoulders and rump. Upperside of 

 tail similar to back, the hairs banded with black and tipped 



241 



