Till) TFIIKTF.EN-T.INKI) (JKOUND SQlUflREI.. 



477 



Rivor. Tt liMs, liowevcr, been recorded from Butler County, Ohio, 

 about 'M) miles north of Cincinnati. 



Evermann and liullci' i>ive the following records: Terre Haute, 

 Lafayette, and Benton, White, Carroll, Newton and Lagi'ange coun- 

 ties. In addition I can record the species from Fowler, Oxford, 

 Mountayr, Lake County (Ball), Hebron, South Bend, Wolcottville, 

 Lacrosse, Hudson and Winona Lake. 



Habits. — This species belongs to a large group of the squirrel 

 family known as the spermophiles, and often incorrectly called 

 gophers. They are typical inhabitants of the great plains and 

 mountains of western America, but only two species are found east 

 of the Mississippi. In many ways they are intermediate between 

 the prairie dogs and woodchucks on the one hand and the chip- 

 munks and tree squirrels on the other. They always make their 

 homes underground and seldom climb trees. 



Railway embankments are favorite dwelling places of these ani- 

 mals, at least in northern Indiana, where much of the land is 

 swampy. There is little doubt that they have extended their range, 

 locally, by following railways through swampy districts that are 

 not suited for their habitation and thence spreading out into the 

 drier areas. 



Their habits seem to differ greatly in different localities. At 

 Mountayr, in Newton County, I found them living in the pastures 

 and along the fences. The holes leading to their nests were less 

 than two inches in diameter and there was not a particle of loose 

 earth about them. I was at a loss to know what had made the 

 holes until I trapped a spermophile at one of them. The farmer 

 on w^hose land I caught a number had never seen them, and 

 did not know that such animals were in the neighborhood nor did 

 I ever see them alive in this locality. 



Near South Bend, Wolcottville and other places, I have known 

 them to dig holes considerably larger at the mouth and leave the 

 dirt where they threw it out after the manner of woodchucks. In 

 some localities they do not appear to be as shy and may often be 

 seen sitting up on their haunches on the lookout for danger. 



Economic status. — In some places where the striped spermophile 

 is abundant it becomes a serious pest. In this State it has never 

 done a great deal of harm to crops. At IMountayr I found them 

 living in a field of ripened oats, but the owner did not think the 

 damage done by the animals was appreciable. Other farmers have 

 told me that they do little harm. One spermophile was examined 

 whose cheek pouches w^ere filled with seeds of the Canada thistle 



