SCIURIDA—SPERMOPHILUS TRIDECEMLINEATUS. 875 
the eastern edge of the plains are intermediate in color and size between the 
two varieties; those from Eastern Kansas and Eastern Nebraska, from as 
far west as Topeka and Fort Riley, are still referable to the eastern rather 
than the western race, but those from Western Nebraska, Western Kansas, 
and Colorado are distinctly referable to var. pallidus. In Fort Riley and 
Topeka specimens, the dark ground-color is more rufous, especially on the 
sides, and the light markings are of a clearer grayish-white. 
SYNONYMY AND NOMENCLATURE.—The present species was first described 
by Dr. Mitchill in June, 1821, as Scturus tridecemlineatus, from specimens 
collected during the summer of 1820, on the Upper Mississippi, by Professor 
Douglass of the United States Military Academy. It was redescribed by 
Sabine,* about eight months later, under the name of Arctomys hoodi, from 
specimens collected near Carlton House in May, 1820. While ¢rideceml- 
neatus has been almost universally adopted by American writers as the name 
of this species of Spermophile, Sabine’s later name of hoodi has been as 
uniformly adopted by English and European writers. ‘The species has 
thus far escaped other synonyms. It has, however, been burdened with a great 
number of vernacular names, scarcely two authors having adopted the same 
vernacular appellation. In 1874, I briefly characterized the pale desert race 
as var. pallidus. 
Nuttall was probably the first naturalist who observed this animal, who, 
some years prior to its discovery at other localities, met with it at the Mandan 
village on the Upper Missouri, and, according to Say,t sent specimens of it 
to “several of his scientific friends in London” as early as 1814. It appears, 
however, to have been first described, as above stated, by Dr. Mitchill in 1821. 
Dr. Hoy and Mr. Kennicott have made interesting contributions to its biog- 
raphy, the former noting especially its carnivorous, Weasel-like propensities. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—The most northerly point at which this 
species has been observed seems to be the vicinity of Carlton House on the 
Saskatchewan, where Richardson states he found it quite common. It is 
abundant at the Red River Settlements and in the neighborhood of Pembina, 
and is doubtless common at all favorable localities between these points and 
the Saskatchewan River. In the United States, it has been met with at fre- 
* Dr. Sabine’s paper was read before the Royal Society of London “Jan, 15, 1822”, and was not 
published till some months later. Dr. Mitchill’s description appeared in June, 1821. 
t Long’s Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, vol. ii, p. 174 (apparently quoted by Harlan without 
credit to the original authority). 
