THE GROUND SQUIRRELS OF CALIFORNIA. 



777 



fornia, and many chambers of commerce, boards of trade and similar 

 institutions. 



Herbert Hoover, United States Food Administrator, endorsed the 

 campaign in a telegram to the State Commissioner and called upon the 

 •citizens of California to destroy the ground squirrel so that food might 

 be had in abundance for our armies abroad and for those of our allies. 



It was not anticipated that the voluntary drive and Squirrel Week 

 would be all child's play, but it was believed, and further development 

 has justified the belief, that the entrance of school children into the 

 fight would awaken interest among the parents, those whom the govern- 

 ment expects to aid in producing this increased food supply. 



Fig. 64. Habitat group, Long-eared Chipmunk (Eutamias quadrimaculatus). 



The final report of this contest ending May 4 accounted for the 

 destruction of more than 100,000 ground squirrels, and without question 

 thousands more were destroyed but no evidence collected. Many 

 squirrels died in their burrows, many more were killed with suffocating 

 gases, so the real losses, in so far as numbers are concerned, never 

 will be known. The increased yield in every section of the state where 

 ground squirrels had been active in years past, is mute evidence of the 

 success of this voluntary drive and school contest. 



In many counties the contest among school children was continued 

 for an indefinite period and in fact all along the line there is no sign 

 of failing interest. Lassen County, for instance, unable to participate 

 in the contest in May, late in July reported that as a result of the 

 school children's contest, 31,669 ground squirrels had been accounted for, 

 one school district reporting 8,089, and an individual pupil exhibiting 

 3,780 squirrel tails as .evidence of destruction. Mr. Taylor, county 



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