MAMMALS OF UTAH 45 



LITTLE THIRTEEN-LINED 

 SPERMOPHILE 



CITELLUS TRIDECEMLINEATUS PARVUS (Allen) 



Spermophilus tridecemlineatus parvus Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist. N. Y., 1895, p. 337. Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm. 

 P. C. M. Pub., II, 1901, p. 100. Zool. Ser. 



Description — Striped above, six light and seven dark 

 longitudinal stripes ; the light stripes a yellowish gray color, 

 some at least of the hairs black tipped ; dark stripes a dark 

 brown, almost black sometimes; all these stripes, except 

 outer one on each side, have a row of spots in centre, of same 

 color as light stripes; outer dark stripe unspotted and ill 

 defined ; top of head irregularly marked with colors of back ; 

 flanks somewhat rusty; buffy ring around eye; sides and 

 upper surfaces of feet and under parts similar color to 

 light gtripes but somewhat lighter and more yellowish ; chin 

 whitish; tail above indistinctly banded black and yellowish 

 white, latter color on tips of hairs, and on tip of tail ; under 

 surface of tail the same color as under part of body. Total 

 length, 8.0; tail vert., 3.0; hind foot, 1.12. (Warren.) 



Distribution— The type locality of this species is the 

 Uncompahgre Indian Reservation, northeastern Utah, 

 though its range extends in the near-by vicinities of Colo- 

 rado and Wyoming. Its food consists of roots, green stuff, 

 seeds, insects. 



Habits — This animal is also known as "striped gopher" ; 

 it is diurnal in habits. The entrance to the burrows of these 

 ground squirrels is about two inches in diameter. It is lo- 

 cated usually in the midst of grass or weedy growths, and 

 has little or no fresh earth about it. The burrow de- 

 scends for several inches almost vertically and then turns 

 almost horizontally in a sinuous and erratic course, v.'ith nu- 

 merous branches and side passages leading up to the sur- 

 face. 



These squirrels hibernate throughout their range, en- 

 tering their long sleep in an excessively fat condition the last 

 of September or in October. Soon after they appear in 

 spring they mate and the single litter of the year, contain^ 

 ing from five to thirteen young, is born the last of May or 

 early in June. (Nelson.) 



