194 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YOSEMITE 



(8) Mount Clark at 10,500 feet, August 22: 27 seeds of pussy-paws, 1 of rush, 1080 



of a very small undetermined seed; total 1108 seeds. 



(9) Mount Florence at 10,500 feet, August 21: 1550 seeds of sedge, 5 of stipa; total 



1555 seeds. 

 (10) Ten Lakes at 9200 feet, October 9: 4796 seeds of pussy-paws, 174 of sedge; 

 total 4970 (counted seed by seed into groups of 10 and these into 100 's and 

 lOOO's). 



The seeds of the plant known as pussy-paws {Spraguea umheJlata) 

 seem, wherever obtainable, to be especially sought after by chipmunks. 

 These seeds are very small (0.7 to 1.2 mm. in diameter), flattish, smooth, 

 and glistening black; and they prove exceedingly elusive to human hand- 

 ling. The fact that the mass of seeds in a chipmunk's cheek pouches is 

 invariably free of chaff or any other useless material bespeaks a marvelous 

 degree of dexterity on the part of the harvester. When we note that one 

 load contained practically 5000 seeds, and recall the complicated nature 

 and rapidity of the movements of the forefeet, lips, and tongue which 

 must be involved in the act of gathering seeds, our wonder at the effective- 

 ness of the chipmunk's nervous and muscular organization is beyond 

 expression. 



Mono Chipmunk. Eutamias amoenus monoensis Grinnell and Storer 



Field characters. — Size small (head and body about 4% inches, tail Sy^ inches long). 

 (For comparative measurements see footnote 15, p. 177.) Usual chipmunk pattern of 

 coloration; flanks light brown. (See pi. 3c.) Distinguished from f rater by smaller size, 

 paler coloration generally, less conspicuous white markings, and yellowish rather than 

 reddish color on bases of tail hairs; from alpinus and pictus by larger size, relatively 

 longer tail and darker general tone of coloration. Voice: Similar to that of Tahoe Chip- 

 munk. 



Occurrence. — Moderately common in Canadian Zone on east base of Sierra Nevada; 

 recorded on Mono Craters and from Leevining Creek south to Gem Lake and Silver Lake. 

 Altitudes of capture, 7000 to 9100 feet. Lives largely within the belt of mountain 

 mahogany, where it stays in brushy and rocky places. 



The Mono Chipmunk in the Yosemite section is limited in its range 

 to the east slope of the Sierras. It touches or overlaps the ranges of three 

 other species of small chipmunks, and difficulty may therefore be experi- 

 enced in identifying the animals in the field. 



The Mono Chipmunk seems to be restricted to the arid Canadian Zone, 

 and it there dwells chiefly within the belt of mountain mahogany. While 

 typically a ground dweller, like the Allen Chipmunk of the west slope, 

 it does sometimes ascend the smaller trees up to a height of 6 or 8 feet. It 

 perches commonly on the tops of boulders where it obtains an unobstructed 

 view over the tops of the bushes roundabout. 



In September, 1915, around Williams Butte, the Mono Chipmunks were 

 busily engaged in harvesting seed crops of one sort or another. At Gem 



