Large Spotted Spermophile 157 
they dig as large burrows. They frequent the more open 
ground, though often hving among the sage-brush and grease- 
wood. Their food is varied. They live on grasses, seeds, 
and other vegetable matter and do not refuse meat as well. 
They have been said to have eaten of the dead buffalo on the 
plains in bygone days and very likely eat grasshoppers and 
other larger insects. They go into winter quarters in early 
fall, hibernating until about April ist, when they reappear. 
At Sulphur Springs, in April, I found them running about 
in fresh snow on stormy days. The breeding season seems 
to begin almost at once on their coming out in spring, and 
young just large enough to come to the mouth of the hole were 
seen in Grand County May 17th. The litters seen by me were 
from four to six in number. 
The animal receives its vernacular name of Picket-pin 
Gopher from its habit of sitting upright by its hole, looking 
like a stake. While this name seems to be in quite general 
use in Wyoming, in Colorado it is not so much used, and 
in most localities the animals seem to be known simply 
as "Ground Squirrels." They are known to do damage 
to crops, cutting down young grain and corn, and also carrying 
away the ripened grain to their storehouses. 
Citellus spilosoma major (Grk. spilos, a spot; Lat. major, 
elder, adult, larger). Large Spotted Spermophile. 
Spermophilus spilosoma major Merriam, N.A. Fauna, No. 4, p. 39 
(1890). 
Type locality. — Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico. 
Measurements. — Total length, 8.75 ; tail vert., 2.35 ; hind foot, 1.4. 
Description. — (From a specimen taken at Monon, Baca County, 
April 30th): Above, cinnamon brown, with indistinct whitish spots 
with black posterior edges, the spots extending forward nearly 
to the shoulders; white ring around eye; upper surfaces of feet 
yellowish white; below white; upper surface of tail like the back, 
white edged, a substantial blackish band, white tipped; below 
paler, with much white. 
