502 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



certain amount is stored away in autumn for winter use, during- 

 which season they are very active. When barns are so situated 

 that they can be reached by this species without their being com- 

 pelled to travel over the ground, these squirrels are occasionally 

 found in the mows, although it is not probable that the females, 

 ever make their nests there." 



TAMIA8, lUig. 

 T. striatus, L. Ground Squirrel. Chipmunk. 



With 3 to 5 black stripes along the back, with cheek pouches, 

 and with the tail not bushy, but shorter than body. Length, 1 1 

 inches ; tail, 4J inches. 



" Very abundant, and although a certain amount of yellow 

 corn is eaten by them, are an inoffensive species. Live in bur- 

 rows, and remain on the ground, or run along fences. They 

 store up many nuts for winter use, and by the middle of October 

 have generally crept into their burrows, where they remain in a 

 state of semi-hibernation. Very rarely met with during the 

 winter, even in long-continued mild weather." 



AROTOMYS, Schr. 

 A. monax, L. Ground-hog. Marmot. Woodchuck. 



Thumb rudimentary ; soles naked ; grizzly gray to blackish^ 

 Body large, thick set. 



"Very abundant in certain localities and very seldom met 

 with in others throughout the State. The author has seen twelve 

 killed along the bluffy banks of Crosswicks Creek, in Ocean 

 county, during a three hours' hunt. Ground-hogs burrow very 

 deeply, in open fields, on hill-sides, and in heavy timber land, 

 though most frequently in open positions, so that when out of 

 its burrows, the animal can see well about it. They are very 

 wild and watchful, and never wander very far from their holes. 

 The females have but one litter in a year, generally as early as 

 April, and the young are always sufficiently grown by autumn 

 to take care of themselves. Ground-hogs, or woodchucks, are 

 strictly herbivorous, and do more damage in their visits to clover 

 fields than by any other habit. When their burrows are near 

 gardens, they will occasionally enter the gardens and eat largely 



