118 



Genus Speemophiltjs. F. Cuyier. 



Etymology: Sperma — seed; Philos — lover. 

 Spermophilns, F. Cuvier, Mem. du Mus., ix, 1822, 295; Dents des Mamm., 



1825, 161, 255, pi. iv (Type '' Mus citillus, Linn.)." 

 Spermophila, Kichardson, Parry's Second Voyage, App., 1825, 313 



(= Spermophilus, F. Cuvier.) 

 Spermatophilus, Wagler, Syst. Avium, 1830, 22. 

 Citillus, Lichtenstein, Darst. neuer oder wenig bekannt., Sauget., 



1827-34, pi. xxxi, fig. 2. 

 Colobotis, Brandt, Bull. Classe Physico-math. de I'Acad. Imp. des Sci. de 



St. Petersb., ii, 1844, 360. 

 Otocolobus, Brandt, 1844 (^Colobotis). 

 Olospermophilus, Brandt, 1844. 



Generic Characters. — Skull very variable in form; postorbital pro- 

 cesses generally triangular, strong, and directed downwards; plane of 

 malar turned outward ; position of ante-orbital foramen more forward 

 tban in Tamias; upper premolars always two, the first variable in size, 

 generally much larger than in Sciurus or Tamias j grinding-teeth vari- 

 able in strength and size ; cheek-pouches well developed ; body slender 

 or thick set ; tail long, moderate, or short, cylindrical or flattened ; ears 

 large, medium, or rudimentary, never tufted; nail of poUex generally 

 undeveloped ; pelage and color patterns variable. 



The above diagnosis includes three sections, in their extreme phases 

 as wide asunder as are most allied modern genera, but well connected 

 through various intermediate specific forms. One of thesa sections pro- 

 visionally recognized by Mr. Allen as sub-genus Oto&permophilns Brandt 

 (emend.), including S. grammurus and S. annulatus 2 of Colorado and 

 Mexico, tends strongly toward Sciurus. Sub-genus Colobotis, same author, 

 includes S. richardsoni, 8. empetra, S. mollis, S. spilosoma, and S. obsoleius, with 

 their several varieties, all northern and north-western forms ; this group 

 deviates in the direction of Cynomys. 



The third sub-genus Ictidomys, as characterized by Mr. Allen, inclines 

 toward Tamias; having the ears small, sometimes rudimentary, tail vari- 

 able, skull long and narrow, first upper premolar usually small, and the 

 dentition not heavy ; it includes S. tereticaudus of southern California, S. 

 mexicamts from Texas into Mexico, S. tridecemlineatus of the prairie region 

 north to the Saskatchewan, and lastly 8. franUini, whose habitat has 

 heretofore been given from northern Illinois and Missouri northward to 

 latitude 64°; this animal is certainly found, however, in the prairie 

 region of northern Indiana, and the following note from Mr. Langdon 



