FRANKLINS SPERMOPHILE 37 



though it often lives along the edges of timber and small groves. 

 At Lake Okoboji it is quite common near the sparse woods and 

 groves bordering the water, and has even taken up its abode near 

 the buildings of the Lakeside Laboratory. In most places it is 

 not as common as the striped spermophile although in a few local- 

 ities it is reported as more common than that species. In most 

 places, the two species range together and their habits are also 

 very similar. The note of Franklin's spermophile is the same 

 rapid, shrill trill of the striped spermophile but somewhat heavier. 

 As with the other spermophiles, this form is often seen sitting 

 erect and motionless on its hind feet near the opening to the bur- 

 row. When alarmed it usually runs with a low, sneaking gait 

 through the grass, but when very much frightened takes long leaps. 



This species also constructs a burrow which is similar to that 

 of the striped spermophile but somewhat deeper; in many cases 

 these burrows are excavated in cultivated fields. The nests to 

 which the burrows lead are constructed of grass and soft plants 

 and are always kept clean and sanitary. In autumn Franklin's 

 spermophiles become very fat and disappear within their bur- 

 rows not to reappear until the following spring. The time of 

 reappearance varies with the season, but is usually during the 

 first half of April. The young are produced during the latter 

 part of May and by the first of August are half grown. 



This species is more migratory in its habits than the striped 

 spermophile ; the males live a wandering life during the summer, 

 and indeed pairs or even small companies of individuals fre- 

 quently migrate from one locality to another; sometimes a pair 

 will migrate from the wintering burrow to a breeding burrow 

 and perhaps winter in still another. This migratory habit may 

 account for the reports received from various places to the effect 

 that "this species was common here last summer, but I have seen 

 only a very few this year. ' ' 



From various sources it has been learned that not often do this 

 species and the striped spermophiles inhabit the same field; and 

 it seems that the latter, being somewhat more pugnacious, drive 

 the Franklin's spermophiles from any limited territory which 

 they themselves wish to occupy. 



Although this form is quite generally distributed throughout 

 the state, in the driftless region of northeastern Iowa it is not 

 commonly met with. It seems, however, to be working its way 



