46 MAMMALS OF UTAH 



SAY GROUND SQUIRREL: STRIPED 

 SPERMOPHILE 



CALLOSPERMOPHILUS LATERALIS (Say) 



Sciurus lateralis Say, Long's Exped. Rocky Mts. II, 1823, p. 46. 

 Spermophilus lateralis Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm. F. C. M. 

 Pub. I, 1901, p. 83, fig. 17. Zool. Ser. 



Description — Ears conspicuous ; high. Tail, with hairs, 

 more than half as long as head and body ; depressed. Middle 

 region of the back finely grizzled yellowish gray and black, 

 without any lines; on each side two distinct black stripes, 

 enclosing a yellowish white one, all of about the same diam- 

 eter. Posterior half of the thigh and rump dark chestnut 

 brown, without stripes. Top of the head chestnut. Under 

 surface of tail bright chtstnut; margined with brownish 

 yellow, within which is a black band. Length about 7 inches, 

 tail, with hairs, about 4; hind foot, from heel, 1.42 inches. 

 (Baird.) 



Distribution — Colorado, Utah and Arizona. In Utah it 

 is found frequently in the White River and Bear River dis- 

 tricts, and on the Uncompahgre Plateau. 



Habits — As its food consists largely of low, green vege- 

 tation, it is quite as terrestrial as the Harris chipmunk, sel- 

 dom climbing trees, but showing great adaptability for 

 movement amid the rocks and prostrate timber of its forest 

 home. As one rides through the woodland it is seen perched 

 on stones and fallen timber, or nimbly running about among 

 the branches and decayed trunks of fallen forest monarchs. 

 It often sits erect on its hind feet with its paws dropped by 

 its sides, uttering a high pitched whistle which is ventrilo- 

 quial in character, seeming to proceed from the nearest 

 tree tops whilst in reality it comes from the ground at a 

 much greater distance. The young are brought forth in 

 June and July in burrows under logs or stones. Its nest 

 is bulky, being composed of dry grass or any soft material 

 at hand. (Meams.) 



