THE GROUND SQUIRRELS OP CALIFORNIA. 



695 



farmers and orehardists reported that little or no damage was done by 

 this rodent, although the big Fisher Ground Squirrel was a decided 

 pest there. The little Antelope "Chipmunks" seemed to keep closely 

 to the wild land, feeding upon the native seeds and fruits, especially 

 those of the cactuses. 



Still, locally, they may prove noticeably destructive. This was the 

 case in an almond orchard near Fairmont in northern Los Angeles 

 County, where in June, 1904, the present authors saw the animals 

 climbing the trees in the outer rows next to the wild land and carrying 

 down the as yet unripe almonds. These and the Fisher Ground Squir- 

 rels were both complained of bitterly by the owner. Again, in Owens 

 Valley near Independence, on May 7, 1912, a male Antelope Ground 

 Squirrel was captured, with its cheek-pouches filled with wheat. The 

 nearest grain field was a quarter of a mile distant. It is thus quite to 

 be expected that where cultivated land adjoins wild land this species 

 will make raids upon such crops as prove to its liking. 



NELSON ANTELOPE GROUND SQUIRREL. 

 Ammospermophilus nelsoni nelsoni (Merriam). 



Other names. — Nelson Spermophile ; Nelson Ground Squirrel ; Antelope Chipmunk, 

 part ; Spermophilus nelsoni ; Citellus nelsoni. 



Field characters. — A small yellowish-brown ground squirrel with one narrow white 

 stripe on each side of body, and with a short flat tail nearly always held curled up 

 over the rump so as to show the creamy white under side. Length of body alone 

 about 6| inches, tail about 2f 'aches more. 



Description. — Adult in summer pelage: General color of upper surface from nose 

 to base of ta'l light clay color, brightening toward pinkish cinnamon on shoulders, 

 flanks, and outer sides of fore and hind limbs ;. a narrow white stripe on each side 

 of body from shoulder to side of rump. Eyelids, ears and sides of head dull buffy 

 white ; whiskers black. Whole lower surface of body white, the hairs white to 

 bases ; soles of feet densely white-haired forward to tubercles, thence to balls of toes 

 naked ; upper surfaces of feet white, buff tinged ; claws blackish brown with pale 

 horn-colored tips. Tail as in leucurus, but upper side near base clay color; under 

 surface creamy or buffy white centrally. Adult in winter pelage : Coat softer, the 

 hairs being longer and more silky than in summer. General coloration as in summer, 

 but tone of upper surface a little darker, and with a fine grizzling due to more 

 variegated color pattern on the individual hairs. White hairs of lower surface with 

 extreme bases lead-color. 



Color variations. — Sexes alike, as far as we can see. Young colored as in the 

 summer adults, but pelage finer in texture. 



Measurements. — Average and extreme measurements, in millimeters, of twenty 

 full-grown specimens from the vicinity of Bakersfield, Kern County, are as follows : 

 Ten males: total length, 226 (210-242) ; tail vertebrae, 70 (61-76) ; h'nd foot, 38.6 

 (36-40) ; ear from crown, 5,3 (5-6) ; greatest length of skull, 39.9 (39.0-41.6) ; 

 zygomatic breadth, 23.2 (21.4-25.0) ; interorbital width, 9.9 (9.5-10.4). Ten 

 females: total length, 221 (203-238); tail vertebrae, 68 ( 64-74); h : nd foot, 3S.4 

 (35.0-41.0) ; ear from crown, 5.7 (5.0^6,0) ; greatest length of skull, 39.4 (37.8- 

 41.3) ; zygomatic breadth, 22.6 (21.5-24.4) ; interorbital width, 9.7 (9.0-10.6). 



Males will be seen from the above figures to average slightly larger than females. 

 The decidedly greater size of nelsoni as compared with leucurus is at once apparent. 



Weights. — Three adult females were found to weigh 141.8, 142.6, and 179.0 grams, 

 respectively ; average, 154.5 grams, or 5i ounces. In bulk nelsoni is thus about 

 50 per cent larger than leucurus. 



103 



