MAMMALS OF THE MEXICAN BOUNDARY, 291 



copper mines of the Mimbres, near Fort Webster, Xew Mexico. Mr. 

 H. W. Henshaw has taken it at El Moro and Dr. J. II. McKee at 

 Fort Defiance in this Territory. To the north of the Colorado 

 River, Dr. C. Hart Merriam obtained it at Ogden, Utah, in 1872, 

 thus greatly extending its known range; and its future occurrence 

 in the area lying between that i)oint and the Arizona border may 

 be safely predicted. 



This preeminently saxicolous mannnal is common in the limestone 

 bluffs and canyons bordering the Verde River in the Ancinity of the 

 military post of Fort Verde; but I never detected it, during a resi- 

 dence of more than four years, in the broad river l)ottom. In fact, 

 it avoids level ground, always seeking cliffs and the rockiest places. 



It infests the bluff' banks and side canyons of Beaver Creek, which 

 springs from numerous sources in the Mogollon ^Mountains of central 

 Arizona and empties into the Rio Verde at Fort Verde. This was 

 the most convenient place in which to study the habits of this nimble 

 (limber, whose fleetness and boldness, displayed in scaling the per- 

 jjendicular cliffs (the crevices and holes of which afford it sufficient 

 shelter), never ceased to excite my admiration and astonishment; but 

 its excessive shyness precluded a close acquaintance. It was next to 

 impossible to kill one; and the few sj^ecimens taken Avere the result 

 of snap shots, usually from the saddle, when both the squirrel and 

 myself were in nu)tion, or of tedious lying-in-wait. It runs with 

 extraordinary swiftness, quickly placing a wall of rock between 

 itself and an enemy, or disappearing into a crevice. It lacks the 

 curiosity of the eastern chipnunik, and seldom ventures to exhibit 

 itself after being frightened to cover. 



It delights in the picturesque caves and ruined buildings of the 

 cliff dwellers, in which these canyons abound. From the shelter and 

 concealment of these ancient habitations I have been able to watch 

 the actions of this chipmunk, whose timidity contrasts strikingly 

 Avith.the confiding familiarity of the Arizona chipnnmk. When all 

 is quiet and it fancies itself unobserved, one emerges from a hori- 

 zontal fissure in the Avail of soft limestone and utters a resounding 

 note, folloAved l)v a chirrup and rattle, as another little fellow comes 

 out close behind it. Then they make a rush along some previously- 

 invisible ledge and disappear in a vertical seam, before unnoticed, as 

 if by magic. Thence issue excited chipperings, followed by the 

 scratching of chnvs upon the rock face overhead, and they are gone. 

 Another family presently appears in another quarter, Avhere the,v 

 frolic noisily and nerA'ously brandish the long, bushy tail, which is 

 the crowning glory of this pretty species, figuratively speaking, for 

 they drag and Avhirl it after them as they scuttle like lizards over the 

 cliff. Again the ])attering of paAvs and dropping of loose scales of 

 limestone from above ann-ounce the return of the first pair. They 



