CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 7. RODENTI A. 
365 
hair, four and a lialf. It is found in the prairies east of the Rocky Mountains, from lat. 55° south 
to Mexico, and often takes up its residence near the grounds of the settlers. It is lively as it is 
beautiful, making deep, winding, bifurcated burrows in the earth, at the mouth of which it may 
be often seen. If any one approaches it darts into its hole, and continues to utter a chirping 
sound of anger and warning. Like the other sperniophiles it uses its cheek-pouches to carry off 
nuts and other things to its nest. The females produce from five to ten young at a birth, about 
the first of June. 
THE LEOPARD SPERMOPHILE. 
The Annulated Squirrel Marmot, S. annulatus^ is of a reddish-brown, speckled below with 
black. The length of the body is eight inches ; the tail, including the hair, nine inches. This is 
annulated with seventeen to twenty bands of black. In its structure and character it seems a sort 
of connecting link between the squirrels and marmots : it has the lightness of form of the first and 
barrows like the last. It has cheek-pouches, which gives it a place among the spermophiles. 
This species are found on the western prairies. 
Franklin's Marmot Squirrel, S. FranJclinii, is yellowish-brown, thickly speckled with black 
above ; below it is greyish-white. The length is nine and three-quarter inches ; the tail, with the 
hair, five and three-quarters. It inhabits the plains in the western British territories and Oregon, 
and burrows among thickets in the sandy soil. Like most of the spermophiles, it has a harsh, 
whistling note, expressive of alarm or anger. 
Say's Marmot Squirrel, S. lateralis, is the Arctomys lateralis of Richardson, and the Small 
Gray Squirrel of Lewis and Clark. It is a true spermophile, though resembling the Tam\%%^ of 
which the Chi-pping- Squirrel is a familiar example. Above, it is brownish-ash; the sides and belly 
are yellowish-white. On each side of the body is a light longitudinal stripe, banded on both 
sides by a dark stripe, giving it the appearance of having four black stripes running along the 
back. The general eff"ect is very beautiful. The length of the body is eight inches, and the tail, 
with the hair, three inches and a half It is found in the Rocky Mountains, about latitude 67°. 
Pe ale's Spermophile, S. Pealei, is a species which appears to have been discovered by Pike's 
Exploring Expedition, but neither its habits nor locality are known. It is somewhat larger than 
the chipping-squirrel, and has four brown and five white stripes. Its length is six and a half inches. 
The Mexican Marmot Squirrel, S. Mexicanus, the S. sjoilosoma of Bennett, is reddish-brown, 
I spotted with white above ; the under parts are a pale buff"-white ; the length ten inches. This is 
a beautiful and interesting species, lively as a squirrel in its disposition and movements, with a 
very bright and sagacious expression of countenance. When domesticated, it becomes gentle and 
