222 University of California ruhlicatioiis in Zoology. [Vol.7 



down and caught a ('allosp( rniophilus and seemed to have diffi- 

 culty in killing it. When the hunter approached, the bird picked 

 up the squirrel and carried it a rod or so, finally letting it drop 

 and taking flight. The animal, a fully adult male (no. 8258), 

 was nearly dead when found. The bird had broken into the 

 brain by way of the orbit. On August 4 a C alios permophilus 

 was found dead under a tree near a small creek, with no dis- 

 cernible mark of violence on its body. This suggests that disease 

 may be an important check. 



The species is very common i)ractically everywhere in the 

 mountains, ranging from a few hundred feet above the fiat 

 almost to the summit of Duffer Peak (altitude 1)400 feet). 

 Proximity to water does not seem to determine distribution. It 

 is a well-known fact (Seton, 1909, pp. 377, 391, and 409) that 

 ground squirrels vary as to dependence upon a visible supply of 

 water. Of the species taken by the Nevada Expedition, probably 

 three, Cifellus mollis, Ammospcrynophilus leucurus, and Callos- 

 permopkilus trepidus, obtain sufficient moisture from their 

 vegetable food. The other one, Cifellus oregonus, was found to 

 be apparently more dependent upon the water-supply, although 

 our observations cannot be said to be conclusive on this point. 

 Golden-mantled ground squirrels are found on rocky ridges, in 

 the beds of caiions, in the sagebrush, on meadows and hillsides in 

 the pine belt, on the shores of Alder Creek Lake, and in the quak- 

 ing aspens; but in all observed cases their burrows occurred in 

 rock-piles. It is obvious that, ranging from 4600 to 9000 feet as 

 they do, they are not closely limited by conditions of tempera- 

 ture. 



Eutamias pictus (Allen). 

 Desert Chipmunk. 

 Status. — In the original description of this form, Allen 

 (1890, p. 115) gives external measurements as follows: total 

 length, 210 mm. (in table, p. QG; but 219 in descrii)tion, p. 115) ; 

 length of tail vertebrae, 89 ; length of hind foot, 29. Adults of 

 our series (from Quinn River Crossing) measure 192, 85, 28.8, 

 and (from Pine Forest Mountains) 190, 81.7, 30.2. Thus our 

 animals are slightly smaller than those measured by Allen. 



