98 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
bianus). The more strictly economic contributions concern principally Citellus 
oregonus and Citellus beecheyi and its subspecies. 
Regarding the relation of the study of the life-histories of the Californian 
ground squirrels to the practical problem of their control the authors (Grinnell 
and Dixon) state (p. 5) : “It would seem that knowledge, as full as possible, of the 
ground squirrels of California is necessary to determining the most successful 
means of controlling them and to applying these means properly to the varying 
conditions throughout our state. This knowledge should include the main dis- 
tinctions by which each may be known from its relatives, the distribution of each 
of the species, the extent of the burrows, the breeding rate, the food habits, and, 
indeed, every other class of facts obtainable relative to their natural history.” 
Going on from this they enunciate a principle of much importance, and one which, 
all too often, is overlooked by the ultra practical. “It is not often apparent, in 
advance, which facts will and which will not prove of critical importance in eco- 
nomic work.” 
After presenting a “Key to the Ground Squirrels of California” based on 
those external differences which can be most readily appreciated, accounts of 
the species are presented. The technical matter of less general interest is pre- 
sented in smaller type with headings as follows: Other names (m addition to the 
approved vernacular and Latin names recognized by the authors) ; field charac- 
ters; description; color variations; measurements; weights; type locality; distri- 
bution area; specimens examined. Then follows a full account in larger type of 
the distribution and habits of the form. 
The style is nontechnical and very readable. Perhaps the detailed presenta- 
tion will discourage a few readers, but any disadvantage here is more than made 
up by the relative completeness of the information recorded. Possibly the ac- 
counts of habits would have been made more accessible and convenient for 
reference purposes by a series of side heads like those utilized in presenting the 
technical matter. 
The paper is generously illustrated with paintings by Fuertes, photographs, 
mostly by Dixon, maps, line drawings, and diagrams. It is unfortunate that 
the paper used is of too poor a quality to do real justice to the half-tones. In 
spite of this the care put into the illustrations makes the paper unusually attrac- 
tive. When State and Government authorities realize that severely plain literary 
style, cheap illustrations and a poor quality of paper are no guarantee of merit 
or even of true economy, and that real attractiveness is an important element 
of each paper, it is likely that there will be a more active demand for State and 
Government publications on the part of the public than is the case at present. 
A number of drawings to scale of the burrow systems of the different squirrels 
are of interest. 
No novelties in systematic status appear. The geographic range of Citellus 
beecheyi beecheyi, formerly believed to embrace the Upper Sonoran, Lower Sonoran 
and Transition zones of west-central California throughout the coast region as 
far south as Ventura County, is now extended southward to include the coastal 
portions of the State to the Mexican line, the range of C. b. fisheri being corre- 
spondingly restricted. 
That systematic work may possess at times considerable importance from the 
standpoint of economic problems is indicated by certain facts concerning the 
