38 RODENTS OF IOWA 



into this region from the north and west, and a few miles west of 

 the hilly section it is fairly? common. At Corning it is reported 

 that this species did nol appear until 1909; now it is abundant 

 in that locality. In almost every locality visited Franklin's sper- 

 mophile is found ; but its numbers are, in general, less than those 

 of the striped spermophile. Definite locality records are: "West 

 Liberty, Iowa City, Ruthven, Gilmore* Des Moines, Mt. Pleasant, 

 Algona, Hampton, Carroll, Muscatine, Osceola, Corning, Eldora, 

 Rockwell City, Lake Okoboji, Rock Rapids, Spencer, and Cherokee. 



Food Habits, Economic Importance, Etc. Most of the food of 

 Franklin's spermophile consists of seeds and various cultivated 

 grains. Corn, wheat, oats, rye, and barley are among its favorite 

 foods; and much complaint is heard from farmers in many sec- 

 tions of the state as to the damage done by this spermophile 's 

 digging up newly planted grain. Corn, in particular, is attacked 

 in this way, and when the animals are numerous replanting and 

 careful watching are necessary in order to secure a crop. On one 

 farm in Henry county it was found necessary to replant more 

 than forty acres of corn during one season on account of ravages 

 by these animals. Of course the amount of damage done in a 

 locality is in direct proportion to their numbers, and where they 

 are numerous damage may be quite serious. Among the ripe 

 small grains more of the grain is trampled down in attempting 

 to get at the heads than is actually eaten, so that considerable 

 loss occurs in this manner also. 



"While grains and other vegetable food make up a large share 

 of the entire food of Franklin's spermophile, animal food is also 

 taken. Many insects such as beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, cater- 

 pillars, and ants also are eaten and thus perhaps some of the evil 

 which it does is mitigated by its usefulness in destroying these 

 noxious forms. 



On the farms damage is also sustained from the animal owing 

 to its inclination to burrow in or along the banks of ditches and 

 under drains filled with brush so that when heavy rains come 

 these banks are more easily washed away. 



Natural enemies of various kinds, among them the hawks and 

 owls mentioned as enemies of the striped spermophile, tend to 

 keep down to a certain extent the numbers of Franklin's sper- 

 mophile. A good many 'are caught by house cats also in regions 

 where these spermophiles are abundant, since they seem to have 



