68 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



Pboto by AnJmon 

 Sierra ground squirrel. Albino in rear. 



Most Californians coming into the 

 park will have no difficulty in recognizing 

 the Sierra ground squirrel. More than 

 likely they will have some race of Citcllus 

 beechcyi near their homes, for the species 

 is widely represented in the State. The 

 Yosemite form has been set apart from 

 the California ground squirrel of the 

 coastal region because of the more gray- 

 ish appearance of the former and for 

 other technical differences. The whitish 

 shoulder patches, upper parts speckled 

 with grayish white and the fairly bushy 

 tail serve to separate the Sierra ground 

 squirrel from any other Yosemite digger. 

 The distinctions between it and the Cali- 

 fornia gray squirrel have been mentioned 

 (P- 64). 



This animal dwells in a system of un- 

 derground tunnels made in open situa- 

 tions. When alarmed fully, the ground 

 squirrel will literally fall into the near- 

 est entrance it can reach. It sometimes 

 sits very erect, presumably to widen the 

 field of vision. It is active only in the 

 daytime. 



The food consists of seeds, grasses, 

 fruits, plants, roots, bulbs, acorns, and 

 some meat. It has internal cheek pouches 

 which are filled when it is gathering and 

 carrying food. It may climb into cer- 

 tain trees and low shrubs in connection 

 with the search for food. 



The Sierra ground squirrel is a hiber- 

 nating animal. However, the hibernation 

 must not be too profound, for I have 

 often seen them abroad in Yosemite Val- 

 ley during prolonged warm spells in Jan- 

 uary. After the weather again became 

 severe, they were never seen about until 

 the next warm spell. 



The Sierra golden-mantled ground 

 squirrel is the most beautiful of the 

 Yosemite ground squirrels. The head, 

 neck and shoulders are a reddish or cop- 

 pery yellow, forming the "mantle," while 

 two white stripes run along the sides 

 of the blue-gray back. These stripes lead 

 some people to confuse them with the 

 chipmunks. However, the golden-mantle 

 is larger than any chipmunk, about two- 

 thirds the size of the Belding, and does 

 not have stripes running through the 

 face. 



Golden-mantled ground squirrels are 

 common in the open forests of the mid- 

 dle elevations, such as are found along 

 the Tioga and Glacier Point Roads and 

 the trails along the rims of the Valley. 

 They make short burrows under ground, 

 with the entrance near a log, stump or 

 rock which provides a lookout point. 



The food consists of nuts, fruits, and 

 other vegetable matter, varied with meat. 

 There is some evidence of food storage, 



tbolo by R. G. triJItmsn 



Young golden-mantled ground squirrel. 

 Note absence of facial stripes. 



