MEXICAN SPERMOPHILE. 



47 



eastern and western limits of its range. In the United States its range 

 covers the southwestern third of the State of Texas, extending as far 

 north as Mason, Stanton and Colorado, while it follows up the Pecos 

 Valley as far as Eddy, ISTew Mexico. 



Habits. — I have met with it in but one locality, Del Eio, Tex., where 

 it was living on low, brushy land and among mesquites. At that sea- 

 son (February), it seemed to keep very quiet as though in a state of 

 semi-hibernation, and was rarely seen. I found a hole with the entrance 

 carefully packed full of dirt, evidently filled from within. A careful 

 search failed to discover any other opening to the burrow, so I removed 

 the dirt and set a small steel trap in the hole a few inches from the 

 entrance. The next day the trap contained a spermophile caught in 

 such manner as to indicate that the animal had been taken while 

 attempting to leave its hole. It was dead, with its head in the trap 

 and the body back in the hole. I was much puzzled at the time that 

 a spermophile should close the entrance to its burrow after the man- 

 ner of the pocket gophers, kangaroo rats, and pocket mice, but Mr. Wm. 

 Lloyd has since mentioned the same habit in writing of the species at 

 Mier,. Mexico. He says: "They are common about here, and make 

 numerous burrows in the little hillocks at the foot of shrubbery. The 

 main hole can always be distinguished, as it is invariably covered up. 

 Their burrows extend for a considerable distance, about 10 inches or 

 a foot, under ground. One that gave way beneath my feet I opened 

 up for 2 yards each way and there was no hole near. I hoped that I 

 was on the track of a mole, but a trap in each section of the tunnel 

 gave me the occupant, a spermophile." 



At another locality Mr. Lloyd states that their holes were not covered, 

 but it seems that this species does sometimes at least close the en- 

 trance to their burrows, contrary to the traditions of sperm ophiles in 

 general. The same habit has been reported in the case of Franklin's 

 Spermophile, where introduced in New Jersey, though I never knew of 

 their practicing it in their native haunts. 



I have never heard the voice of Spermophilus mexicanus, nor can I find 

 any reference to it. Their habits seem to be little known. Mr. B. H. 

 Dutcher found these spermophiles at Stanton and Colorado, Tex., and 

 at Eddy, N. Mex. He says : " It is somewhat difficult to observe the 

 habits of this species while on foot, as it is shy, and is hidden by the 

 grass from an observer. Those that I saw running seemed to move 

 both fore feet at once, and both hind feet at once, thus moving in what 

 might technically be called a gallop. Considerable speed is attained, 

 and their motions are in no way sluggish as are those of the prairie 

 dog. I saw none at rest, but the family with whom I lived at Colorado 

 had formerly had one as a pet, and they frequently described to me 

 how this individual used to stand on his hind feet. From this, and 

 also from analogy, I infer that an upright position is a common one in 

 nature." 



