SCIURID.^ 75 



alxDve, the hairs being blad< at root, then white, then black and 

 tipped with widte; tail often tinged with salmon above at base. 



Length about 210 mm. {^.2=^ inches); tail vertebr.T 66 

 (2.60) ; hind foot 37 (1.45) ; ear from crown 6 (.25). 



Type locality, San Gorgonio Pass, below Banning, Califor- 

 nia. 



Antelope Ground-Squirrels are more or less common in the 

 hills Ixirdering tlie Colorado and Mohave Deserts and in rocky 

 places in these Deserts and north to Lassen County. In a very 

 few^ places they occur a short distance down on the Pacific slope. 

 They are not often seen out on open plains, preferring rocky 

 localities. 



The food is principally seeds as is usual with Grounil-S(|uir- 

 rels. TJie cheek ponches together will hold more than a heaping 

 teaspoonful of seeds. The note is a loud, prolonged, tremulous 

 whistle. The breeding season is early, March and April. Five 

 to eight is the usual number of young'. In running these 

 Ground-Scjuirrels carry their tails curled over their backs, the 

 underside of the tail appearing like a white rump, hence their 

 common name. 



Citellus nelsoni Merriam. (For E. W. Nelson.) 



NELSON GROUND-SQUIRREL. 



v'^imilar to Icitcunis but larger and paler; above dull yellow- 

 ish brown or huffy clay color, dark beneath the surface: white 

 lateral stripe tinged with ochraceous ; outer surface of legs and 

 upper side of tail near base, buffy clay color; remainder of upper 

 side of tail black and white, the white border broad ; lower part 

 huffy white. In winter the l)ack is nearly as dark as Iciicurus. 



Length about 223 mm. (8.65 inches) ; tail vertebrcT 70 

 (2.75) ; hind foot 40 (1.60). 



Type locality, Tipton, San Joaquin County. California. 



The Nelson Ground-Squirrel is found in the southern part 

 of the San Joaquin Valley, where it is common in a few places. 



