STRIPED SPERMOPHILE 29 



heard of any damage being attributed to them, beyond the carry- 

 ing away of a few nuts. This chipmunk is somewhat sociable and 

 more or less gregarious; sometimes several pairs apparently oc- 

 cupy the same burrow during the winter. The young are usually 

 four or five in number and are born blind and naked. 



When the animal is undisturbed it utters a sort of dull cluck 

 which may be repeated many times, but when it is disturbed a 

 series of rapid shrill chips is often given. 



Of the two chipmunks found in the state this seems to be much 

 the more abundant, and the writer has found that in most cases 

 where "chipmunks" are reported, reference is made to this form. 

 It seems to be quite generally distributed over the state and 

 is reported as common or fairly common by nearly all observers. 

 In many localities, however, it is reported that the numbers are 

 rapidly decreasing. At the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory it is 1 quite 

 common in the surrounding woods, and in the summer of 1916 

 half-grown young were much in evidence during the first half of 

 July. At Iowa City this form as well as the preceding one seems 

 to be present. Other definite locality records for the present spe- 

 cies are: McGregor. Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Wayland, Charles 

 City, Thayer. 



THIRTEEN-LINED SPERMOPHILE. STRIPED SPERMO- 

 PHILE. THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL. 

 STRIPED GROUND SQUIRREL. 

 STRIPED GOPHER. 



Citellus tridecemlineatus tridecemlineatus (Mitchill). 

 Sciurus tridecem-lineatus Mitchill, Med. Repos., N. S., VI, 248, 1821. 



Description. Color above dark brown, varying from chestnut 

 to nearly black ; back with seven yellowish white lines which alter- 

 nate with six rows of rounded yellowish white spots in a back- 

 ground of brown; below pale tawny brown; tail comparatively 

 short and not bushy; middle of tail brown and white bordered by 

 an inner stripe of black, the ends of the hairs forming the fringe 

 buffy white; a pale ring around the eye. 



Measurements. Total length, 10.50 inches; tail vertebrae, 3.75 

 inches; hind foot, 1.35 inches. 



This animal-, which possesses an unusually large number of local 

 names, while somewhat squirrel-like in appearance, is the more 

 slender of our two spermophiles and the tail is comparatively short 



