196 GNAWING ANIMALS 



Utah, the hot deserts of Arizona and the dry valleys and 

 mountain regions of California. They seem to be most 

 numerous in California and the Dakotas, where they do 

 much damage to crops. 



All the ground squirrels have cheek-pouches, dig deep 

 burrows (unless the earth is too rocky), store quantities of 

 grain in the autumn for winter food, and in cold latitudes 

 live all winter in their burrows. If forced to do so, they 

 will live amongst rocks, and it is surprising to note how 

 they can live in situations both high and low, dry and wet. 

 Their favorite food is grain, seeds of every description, 

 green grass, and hay, and their worst habit is digging up 

 seed grain. 



Some species eat quantities of destructive insects, such 

 as grasshoppers, beetles, cut-worms and crickets, and in this 

 way partly compensate the farmer for the grain they devour. 

 In fact, from all observations made thus far it seems that in 

 the insect season, insects form a considerable proportion of 

 the daily food supply of these industrious little animals. Not 

 only do they eat all kinds of ground insects, but they also 

 devour mice and almost any other flesh that comes within 

 their reach, particularly dry meat adhering to the bones of 

 large animals which have died near their holes. 



Ground squirrels are prolific, and bring forth from seven 

 to ten young in each litter. Their enemies are coyotes, foxes, 

 badgers, skunks, hawks, and owls. 



The spermophiles of North America are so wide-spread, 

 so numerous and so important that it is necessary that two 

 or three of the leading species should be specially noticed. 



