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of coloration ; the stripes vary somewhat in width and purity of color. 

 Southern specimens are a little smaller and somewhat brighter colored • 

 melanistic examples are rare in this species. 



Distribution. — This squirrel is found from Pembina, Minn., east to the 

 Atlantic coast and south to Georgia and western Missouri. It is not 

 found on the lowlands of the Gulf coast or southern seaboard. 



Habits and Habitat — This common and beautiful little squirrel lives in 

 burrows in the earth, usually under stumps, logs, or about fences, in cul- 

 tivated land; it does not habitually climb trees, nor does it leave the 

 woods. 



Like other ground squirrels this species has capacious cheek-pouches ; 

 they are by habit nut eaters, although they take readily to corn, even at 

 times following the rows of corn like crows, blackbirds, and gophers, 

 and dig out the planted grains, carrying them off to their burrows, 

 have counted as high as sixty grains of dry corn in the cheek-pouches 

 of a single specimen. A half bushel of hickory nuts and acorns, stored 

 in single burrow, was found in November by Mr. Kennicott. 



The call is a short, deep '' clock" constantly repeated ; sometimes a shrill 

 chip-chip is uttered, whence the common name "Chipping" Squirrel. 

 When frightened he utters a low chatter. 



This animal can not be regarded as an enemy to the farmer; it is not 

 suspicious, is readily shot or trapped, and driven off by cats and terrier 

 dogs. It increases in numbers as its native forests are cleared for culti- 

 vation, as it is then protected from its natural enemies, the Weasels, 

 preying birds, and even the Mink and Pox. 



The Chipmunk, wherever it abounds, attracts attention by its beauty, 

 industry, and cheerful activity, and I can not do better than to tran- 

 scribe here from Mr. Kennicott's article in the Agricultural Report for 

 1856, a pleasant paragraph descriptive of their habits : 



"In spring and snmmer chipmunks mate love, rear their young, chase each other 

 over stumps and logs in play, and enjoy themselves in various other ways; and with 

 autnmn and its harvest tiine comes their season of hard work. We are not to suppose, 

 however, that this work is at all disagreeable to them as a man's duties are to him, 

 when he will not cheerfully obey the laws of creation. They may now be seen hasten- 

 ing to and from their holes, their cheek-pouches distended with nuts, acorns, and seeds, 

 or with grain stolen from the neighboring fields. These they continue to collect until 

 cold weather has set in, when they retire to their burrows, where, with well-filled lard- 

 ers, they pass the winter comfortably, regardless of the cold winds which rage about 

 them. 



"This species closes the e_ntraiice to Its burrows late in autnmn, and appears to pass 

 the winter in a state of semi-hibernation ; for, though taking nourishment and not tor- 

 pid, it never comes out, except very rarely in long-continued mild weather." 



