Family SCIURIDAE 



137 



FRANKLIN'S GROUND 

 SQUIRREL 



Fig. 77. — Known distribution, in the United States, of the Illi- 

 nois ground squirrels. 



Distribution. — The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is abun- 

 dant in the northern two-thirds of Illinois, but is unknown 

 south of an imaginary line connecting Clark and Madison coun- 

 ties. One subspecies, Citellus tridecemlineatus tridecemlineatus 

 (Mitchill), occurs in this state. The range of the species ex- 

 tends from central Ohio and eastern Michigan northward and 

 westward through Wisconsin and northern Illinois into south- 

 central Canada, then southward to eastern Arizona, New 

 Mexico, and south-central Texas, fig. 77. 



CITELLUS FRANKLINII (Sabine) 

 Franklin's Ground Squirrel Gray Gopher 



Description. — Franklin's ground squirrel, fig. 78, is only 

 slightly smaller than the arboreal gray squirrel, which it some- 

 what resembles. Its ears are short and its tail is bushy, but not 

 so bushy or so long as that of the gray squirrel. The back is 

 brownish gray, speckled with black, and has an overwash of 

 yellow. The head and tail are gray, and the under parts are of 

 a grayish color not much lighter than that of the back. 



Length measurements: head and body 8i/^-9i/2 inches (220- 

 240 mm.); tail 5l^-6l4 inches (130-160 mm.); over-all about 

 1+-16 inches (350-400 mm.); hind foot l^-2i4 inches (48-55 



