373 



SPERMOPHILUS D O U G L A S S 1 1.— Richardson. 



Douglass' Spermophile. 



PLATE XLIX. Natural size. 



Auribus insignibus ; versus humeros canescens ; corpore dilute fusco, 

 striis multis indistinctis transversis fuscis et albis, linea nigra inter hume- 

 ros ; Cauda, longa, cylindrica, pilis albo nigroque annulatis. 



CHARACTEKS. 



Ears, conspicuous ; hoary on the shoulders, with a black stripe between 

 them ; general colour of the body, pale-brown, with many indistinct trans- 

 verse marks of dark-brown and white. Tail, long and cylindrical, hairs 

 annulated with white and black. 



STNONYMES. 



Abctomts (Spehmophilus ?) DouGLASSii, Richardson, F. B. A., p. 172. 

 Abctomys (SpERMOPHiLus) Beecheyi, RichardsoD, F. B. A., p. 170. ? 



DESCRBTIOIT. 



In the general form of the body Douglass' Spermophile bears a strong 

 resemblance to several species of squirrel. Its rather slender shape, its 

 long ears and tail, together with its large eyes and the form of its head, 

 assimilate it to the Northern gray squirrel, {S. migratorius.) Its coarser 

 fur, however, its cheek-pouches, rounder tail, and the shape of its claws, 

 clearly designate the genus to which it belongs. 



Head, rather short, broad and depressed ; nose, obtuse ; ears, long, 

 semi-oval, covered on both surfaces with short hairs, which in winter 

 specimens extend a line beyond the margins at their extremities ; cheek- 

 pouches of moderate size. 



The longer hairs of the body are rather coarse, they are slender at 

 their roots, gradually enlarge as they ascend, and suddenly taper off to 

 a point at the tips. The fur beneath is on the back and sides soft and 

 dense ; on the under surface, however, the longer hairs predominate, and 

 the animal is in those parts but thinly clothed. 



There are on the four-feet four toes with a blunt nail in place of a 

 thumb. The second toe is longest ; the nails are of moderate size, and 



