THE ANTELOPE CHIPMUNK 



(Ammospermophilus leucurus) 



The antelope chipmunks, or amnios, as they 

 are sometimes called, are the liveliest, most 

 active and agile of all the small mammals of 

 the desert, and they hold an interest to us out 

 of all proportion to their size. As they dash 

 across the sands at such lively clips as they 

 are wont to go, they remind us of tiny rabbits, 

 immediately attracting our attention with their 

 little white tails, or flags, which they carry 

 curled up over their backs. So many points of 

 resemblance are there both in general appear- 

 ance and in movements between these little 

 rodents and the chipmunks of the mountains 

 that the desert people call them chipmunks, 

 though they are really very small ground 

 squirrels. 



The desert antelope chipmunks are found in 

 great numbers both on the Colorado and the 

 Mohave Deserts, and beyond the borders of 

 California nearly related species are found 



