THE GROUND SQUIRRELS OP CALIFORNIA. 



6S3 



Fig. 18. Map showing California distribution of tlie Oregon, Belding, Stephens 

 Soft-haired, Mohave, Yuma Round-tailed, Death Valley Round-tailed and Palm Springs 

 Round-tailed ground squirrels. The spots represent localities from which actual speci- 

 mens have been examined. 



Beechey Ground Squirrel individually, it exceeds that species in num- 

 bers. At any rate, it ranks highest in importance among rodent pests 

 within its domain. 



The Oregon Ground Squirrel is an inhabitant chiefly of mountain 

 meadows and the borders of the bigger meadows of the valleys. It 

 does not care for marshy ground, and it avoids thick brush and rocky 

 slopes. In a way, it is complementary in habitat to the Douglas Ground 

 Squirrel, which occurs in much of the same territory; rarely are the 

 two seen on common ground. It is obviously because of its preference 

 for grass land that the Oregon Ground Squirrel has come so seriously 



