250 
SPERMOPHILUS FRANKLINII. 
RrcHARDSON observes of this species, that it lives in burrows in the sandy 
soil amongst the little thickets of brushwood that skirt the plains. That 
it is about three weeks later in its appearance in the spring than the 
Arctomys Richardsonii, probably from the snow lying longer on the shady 
places it inhabits, than on the open plains frequented by the latter. It 
runs on the ground with considerable rapidity, but has not been seen to 
ascend trees. It has a louder and harsher voice than the A. Richardsonii, 
more resembling that of Sciurus Hiulsonius when terrified. Its food con- 
sists principally of the seeds of liguminous plants, which it can procure in 
considerable quantity as soon as the snow melts and exposes the crop of 
the preceding year. Mr. Townsend, who observed it in Oregon, does not 
refer particularly to any habit differing from the above. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This is a northern and western species ; Dr. Richardson having ob- 
tained it in the neighbourhood of Carlton House, and Townsend near the 
Columbia River. 
general remarks. 
Although several different Spermophiles bear a strong resemblance to 
each other, we have not observed that this species has as yet been mis- 
taken for any other, and it has as far as we can ascertain retained its 
name without change in the works of all new describers. 
