128 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA [No. 55 



^ In the mild climate where these chipmunks occur, 



hibernation is apparently rather irregular, if it be true hibernation. 

 At Salem in November 1893, Streator reported them as common, but 

 not very active. McLellan found them common at Drain, in Novem- 

 ber 1894, but later at Oakland, in November and December, and at 

 Olalla, in December, he could not find any, although they were said 

 to be there in summer. At Wells, December 1 to 5, 1904, Hollister 

 could find none, although they were reported as common earlier in 

 the season. At Philomath, in March 1919, Cantwell was told that 

 they were active and about all winter. 



Breeding habits. In females of the Townsend's chipmunk the mam- 

 mae are arranged in 4 pairs 1 inguinal well back, 2 abdominal, and 

 1 pectoral about evenly spaced on the 2 long mammary glands ex- 

 tending the whole length of the belly. From 4 to 6 embryos have 

 been noted in females collected for specimens in April and May, 

 but usually the young do not appear aboveground until some time in 

 June. By August the young are nearly full grown and apparently 

 each one lays up its own food store for the winter. It seems doubtful 

 if more than 1 litter of young is raised in a season. In some cases 

 only 2 or 3 embryos occur, probably in young of the previous year, 

 but the increase is generally sufficient to keep up the normal abun- 

 dance of the animals. 



Food habits. Like most species, Townsend's chipmunks have a wide 

 range of foods, including nuts, acorns, seeds, berries, and other fruits, 

 roots, bulbs, green vegetation, insects, and other small animal life. 

 At Multnomah Falls, Merriam noted one that lunched with his party 

 in a friendly way, coming repeatedly to the table spread on the 

 ground, and stuffing his cheek pockets with food, showing a prefer- 

 ence for bread and grapes, which he carried away to his den across 

 the creek. He would quickly return for more, running fearlessly 

 among the members of the party seated on the ground, and gathering 

 up the food thrown to him. At Wilson Eiver, Fisher reported 

 them eating salmonberries and other berries, and along the coast 

 country McLellan noted them feeding on salmonberries, red and black 

 elderberries, gooseberries, crab apples, plums, and prunes; also the 

 seeds of maple, boxelder, rose, thistles, grasses, and grains. The 

 writer has found them feeding also on raspberries, thimbleberries, 

 blackberries, salal berries, seeds of spruce and hemlock cones, and a 

 great variety of other seeds. Hazelnuts and acorns are much sought 

 for winter stores. 



Economic status. In many places these chipmunks are common 

 in the timber and thickets along the edges of fields of grain and 

 berries and other fruits, and it would be strange if they did not 

 make some inroads on the crops. In one place McLellan reported 

 the trunks of plum and prune trees wrapped with tin to keep the 

 chipmunks from getting the fruit, but there have been few com- 

 plaints against them. The abundance of wild berries, nuts, and 

 seeds undoubtedly prevents serious injury to domestic products. 



Their consumption of tree seeds may have some influence on the 

 welfare of the forests, and with other rodents they may help to 

 keep down some reforestation that should naturally occur. On the 

 other hand, the burying and storing of seeds may in some cases 

 where left to grow be of great value in forest extension. 



