ZOOLOGY. 57 



8. douglasii is a brighter and handsomer species than 8. beecheyi, with which it is commonly 

 confounded. It has, too, a dark, almost heart-shaped spot on the shoulders, which is wanting 

 in S. beecheyi. It is apparently more boreal in its range, as the most common species about San 

 Francisco and Santa Clara is S. beecheyi, while in the Upper Sacramento valley, and the Klamath 

 lake basin we found only S. douglasii. I saw in the pedregal region of Pit river a smaller 

 species, different from both, and possibly new, but I could not secure specimens. 



The owl which lives with the spermophiles is Athene hypugaea, the same found with the 

 prairie dogs. Kattlesnakes we did not see with them, but they are common enough every where, 

 and may live with the owls and squirrels. The idea so prevalent that the owls and squirrels 

 occupy the same burrow at the same time is probably erroneous, the owl generally taking pos- 

 session of the deserted burrows of the squirrels. The rattlesnakes are probably not very obser- 

 vant of the rights of property, but make themselves at home wherever they find comfortable 

 lodgings and meals furnished at the cost of the least labor to themselves. 



Specimens were collected at Klamath lake, 0. T. 



SPERMOPHILUS BEECHEYI. 



California Ground Squirrel. 



Arctomys (Spermophilus) beecheyi, Richardson, Fauna Boreali-Americana I, 1829, 170 ; plate xii, B. 



Spermophilus beecheyi, Baird, Gen. Kep. Mammals, 1S57, 307. 

 Sp. Ch. — Size of the cat squirrel, S. cinereus. Ears large, prominent. Tail more than two-thirds as long as the body. 

 Above, mixed with black, yellowish brown, and brown in indistinct mottlings ; beneath, pale yellowish brown. Sides ofhead 

 and neck, hoary yellowish, more or less lined with black ; a more distinct stripe of the same, from behind the ears on each 

 side, extending above the shoulders to the middle of the body. Ears black on their inner face. Dorsal space between the 

 stripes scarcely darker than the rest of the back Length, 9 to 1 1 inches ; tail, with hairs, 7 to 9. Hind feet, 2 to 2. 30 inches. 



In speaking of 8. douglasii, I have given the generalities of the habits of both species, for 

 they are nearly the same. The two species are not distinguished by the people of the country, 

 and are frequently found in the same place. The dark spot on the back of S. douglasii, with 

 its more northern habit, will serve to distinguish it. Tbe colors of S. beecheyi are all less bright 

 and handsome than those of the allied species, of which the dappling is clean white on a dark 

 ground, while in 8. beecheyi the colors are much as in Cynomys ludovicianus, all dull and dirty. 



The flesh of both species is fat, tender, and well flavored, and usually regarded as preferable 

 to that of the tree squirrels. It is, however, much more rarely brought to the market of San 

 Francisco than Sciurus fossor, I was told, because so many of them had been poisoned by the 

 farmers. To rid themselves of so great pests, they have used strychnine freely, thereby exciting 

 a natural distrust of any which might be offered for sale. 



SPERMOPHILUS LATERALIS. 



Say's Squirrel. 

 Sciurus lateralis, Sat, Long's Exped. R. Mts. II, 1823, 46. (Arkansas river, lat. 38°.25; long. 105°. 20; July 1C.) 

 Spermophilus lateralis, Am>. & Bach. N. Am. Quad. Ill, 1853, 62 ; pi. cxiv. 

 Baied, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 312. 

 Sp. Ch. — Ears conspicuous, high. Tail, with hairs, more than half as long as head and body ; depressed. Middle region 

 of the back finely grizzled yellowish grey and black, without any lines ; on each side two distinct black stripes, enclosing a 

 yellowish white one, all of about the same diameter. Posterior half of the thigh aud rump dark chestnut brown, without 

 stripes. Top of the head chestnut. Under surface of tail bright chestnut ; margined with brownish yellow, within which 

 is a black band. Length about 7 inches ; tail with hairs, about 4 ; hind foot, from heel, 1.42 inches. 



This Tamias-like species was first described by Say, and not obtained by any of the recent 

 government expeditions till we found it in the Des Chutes basin. 

 8 BB 



