MAMMALS OF UTAH 59 



parts, succeeded by a broad area of whitish buff (tilleul 

 buff of Ridgway) shading (on hinder back) to pinkish cin- 

 namon or pale russet ; long hairs black subterminally, broad- 

 ly tipped on forepart of back with warm or ochraceous-buff 

 and on hinder part with white or buff y white ; top and sides 

 of head blackish brown, with a conspicuous band of .white 

 or buffy white across face in front of eyes ; sides of face 

 mixed with cinnamon or white ; sides of nose, lips, and chin 

 white or buffy white;, sides of neck with ochraceous-buff 

 patches behind ears; fore legs kaiser brown; hind legs and 

 rump warm buff; hind feet hazel to russet; tail ' chestnut- 

 brown or blackish brown, varied with hazel or cinnamon-buff 

 (fading to dull cinnamon or clay color) ; underparts hazel 

 shaded with kaiser brown, becoming bright chestnut on 

 throat and sometimes on belly. Variation: A dark, brown- 

 ish color-phase occurring rarely, and seemingly most fre^ 

 quent at high altitudes, may be described as follows : General 

 tone of upper parts dark brown grizzled with white ; under- 

 fur at base mouse gray (shading on hinder back to fuscous) 

 succeeded by buffy white (shading on hinder back to light 

 pinkish cinnamon) ; long hairs blackish brown, tipped with 

 white; top and sides of head blackish brown; underparts 

 mixed blackish brown and pinkish buff in about equal pro- 

 portions ; throat shaded with russet ; feet and tail blackish 

 brown ; legs brownish mixed with ochraceous-tawny. (How- 

 ell.) 



Distribution — Rocky mountain region of Montana, 

 Idaho, and Wyoming, from Flathead Lake, Mont., south to 

 the Wasatch mountains, Utah, and east to the Bighorn 

 mountains, Wyo. ; altitudinal range from about 3,000 to 

 11,800 feet. Specimens have been taken in Utah from 

 Blacksmith's Fork, Laketown and Park City. This species 

 intergrades with engelhardti. They are quite common in 

 the Wasatch mountains. 



Habits — The Golden-Mantled Marmot is in this State 

 known usually as the woodchuck, rockchuck or groundhog. 

 It lives usually on rocky hillsides, in the crevices of cliffs, or 

 beneath rock piles in meadows. The flesh of this animal is 

 palatable. It subsists chiefly on grass, tender leaves and 

 the stems of native plants. "Groundhog day" is a myth 

 based on no scientific facts. 



