318 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



season and surroundings. Among them were berries of the cedar, 

 sumac and hackberry, grapes, walnuts, acorns, grass seeds, corn, bar- 

 ley, and, in spring and summer, numerous kinds of green herbs, and 

 browsing. In the Mogollon Mountains I found its capacious cheek- 

 pouches filled with bulbs of a liliaceous plant, which the Mexicans 

 called by a name signifying artichoke. In spring it feeds largely on 

 the fruitage of the willow, and may then be seen perched in willow 

 trees, frequently in the very top, where it prefers to remain quiet 

 when approached, as it is too clumsj' at climbing to attempt to beat a 

 hasty retreat from its arboreal position. The mesquite bean is eaten 

 with avidity. In September its pouches were filled with the unripe 

 fruit, in the pod; at other seasons only the seeds are eaten. A small, 

 prostrate herb, known as " filere grass," or "alfilerea," said to have 

 been recently introduced from California by shepherds, now natural- 

 ized and diffused, furnishes it with very satisfactory grazing in early 

 spring. Specimens shot at Fort Verde in April had their stomachs 

 distended with the good-sized ovaries of some plant, containing a 

 quantity of green seeds. 



This ground-squirrel is a source of much inconvenience to such of 

 the Indians as are engaged in agricultuie. It betakes itself to their 

 fields as Soon as the cereals and Indian corn are planted, digging up 

 the seeds and nibbling off the tender blades. When the harvest ripens, 

 they carry enormous quantities of the ripe grain into their burrows 

 and rocky fastnesses for future use. In the settlement of the Hava- 

 supai Indians, in the deep canyon of Cataract Creek, a tributary of the 

 Great Colorado, I saw in November numerous large caches of maize 

 stored in excavations in the limestone cliffs, which were walled in front 

 and carefully plastered. This, the Indians said, was a necessary pre- 

 caution against the ravages of this squirrel and the wood rat {Neo- 

 toma), both of which rodents were very abundant in the canyon. 

 These storehouses were opened one at a time, as required for use by 

 the Indians during the winter. 



The ranchmen on Beaver Creek, near Fort Verde, complained that 

 it was very destructive in their corn and grain fields. They destroyed 

 hundreds of them by poisoning, until the air became foul from the 

 stench arising f roiri their decaying bodies. 



A number of these troublesome animals took up their residence 

 beneath the post hospital at Fort Verde, whence they made systematic 

 raids on the adjacent quartermaster's storehouse, carrying off barlc}' 

 and corn, to the bewilderment and consternation of the persons who 

 were responsible for the safe-keeping of the forage. My patriotism 

 and public spiritedness never led me to the length of persecuting these 

 mammals for obtaining a share of this provision, a forbearance for 

 which they showed some appreciation by their indifference to my 

 presence, whereas the approach of others was the signal for their 



