CHIPPING SQUIRREL. 73 



been traced as far as the fiftieth degree of north latitude. In the 

 Eastern, Northern, and Middle States, it is quite abundant ; it exists 

 along the whole of the Alleghany range, and is found in the mountainous 

 portions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. In the alluvial dis- 

 tricts of Carolina and Georgia, it disappears. We have never found it 

 nearer the seaboard of South Carolina than at Columbia, one hundred 

 and ten miles from Charleston, where it is very rare. It is found in Ten- 

 nessee and throughout Louisiana. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



We have, at the head of this article, endeavoured to preserve Tamias 

 as a valuable genus distinct from Sciorus. We hope we have offered 

 such reasons as will induce naturalists to separate this interesting and 

 increasing little group, mostly of American species, from the squirrels, to 

 which they bear about the same affinity, as do the marmot squirrels 

 (Spermophilus) to the true marmots (Arctomts.) We will now inquire 

 whether the present species, {Tamias Lysteri,) is a foreigner from Sibe- 

 ria, naturalized in our Western w^orld ; or whether it is one of the abori- 

 gines of our country, as much entitled to a name as the grisly bear or 

 the cougar. 



Two of our American naturalists, Harlan and Godman, supposed that it 

 was the Asiatic species, the S. striatus of KxErN, Pallas, Schreber, and 

 other authors ; Dr. Richardson (1829) believed that the descriptions given 

 of Sciurus striatus, did not exactly correspond with American specimens, 

 and as he had no opportimity of instituting a comparison, he adopt- 

 ed the specific name of Ray, Sciurus (Tamias) Lysteri, for our species ; 

 and quoted what Pallas had written in regard to the habits of the Asia- 

 tic animal, as appljdng to those of our little Chipping Squirrel. Very re- 

 cently'(1842) Dr. Dekay, in the work on American quadrupeds, published 

 by order of the State of New York, has again referred it to <S. striatus of 

 LiNN^Ds, and endeavoured to prove the identity of the two species, from 

 European vn-iters. We suspect he had no opportunity of making a com- 

 parison from actual specimens. 



Reasoning from analogy in regard to the species of birds, or quadru- 

 peds, found to be identical on both continents, we should be compelled to 

 admit that if our species is the S. striatus of Asia, it presents a solitary 

 exception to a long-established general rule. That many species of wa- 

 ter-birds, such as geese, ducks, gulls, auks, and guillemots, which during 

 the long days of summer, crowd toward the polar regions to engage in 

 the duties and pleasures of reproduction, should be found on both con- 

 tinents, cannot be a matter of surprise ; and that the ptarmigan, the white 



II 



