SECRETARY'S REPORT. 173 



Description. — Head rounded ; ears broad, slightly pointed, naked ante- 

 riorly and posteriorly ; whiskers, long, black ; anterior and posterior limbs 

 enveloped in the membrane, except the feet, which are small and slender, 

 and naked beneath ; the toes of the anterior feet are separated distinctly, 

 to nearly the ball of the foot ; those of the posterior feet but little longer 

 than them ; all the toes hairy above, to the ends concealing the claws, 

 which are sharp and curved. Color : above the head, body and mem- 

 brane the fur is gray at its base, tipped with a light fawn-color ; cheeks 

 yellowish gray ; beneath the body and membrane, yellowish white ; the 

 tail is long and flat, most of the hairs, which are soft and pliable, being 

 placed on its sides. It is dark ash-colored above, lighter beneath. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length of head, 1| to If inches. 



Length of head and body, 4| to 6\ inches. 



Length of tail, without the hairs at the tip, 3| to 3§ inches. 



Length of tail, including hairs at tip, 4 to 4^ inches. 



Length of hind foot, 1 to 1 1 inches. 



Length of fore-foot, | to § inches. 



Genus : Tamias. — (Linn.) 



This genus is readily distinguished from the other genera in the 

 family Sciuridce, by the following 



Characteristics. — Permanent upper molars, eight, quite small ; cheek 

 pouches, ample, opening near the molars, and extending back to near 

 the shoulder ; " these pouches are capable of great distension, so as to 

 hold a great supply of food ; " tail shorter than the body, not bushy, 

 the hairs on the sides short, making it hardly wider than thick ; body 

 rather slender than robust. 



Animals of this genus have burrows in the ground, and in winter 

 are in a state of semi-hibernation. 



Tamias Striatus, (Linnaeus.) — Ground Squirrel, Chipmunk, Striped Squirrel, 

 Striped Dormouse. 



This beautiful and familiar species is very common with us, there 

 being hardly a field but has several pairs living in the stone walls that 

 enclose it. It is the most familiar of all the squirrels, often having its 

 home within a yard or two of our dwelling-houses ; its beauty, indus- 

 trious habits, and cheerful activity would render it a very great favorite 

 with all, and in fact does, with the exception of the farmer, who often 

 may be obliged to plant the corn-field two or three times in consequence 

 of a habit this little animal has of following the rows of newly sprouted 

 corn and digging up the seed ; the mischief done in this manner is 



