Page:Natural History of the Ground Squirrels of California.djvu/82

664 is born each year. On July 31, on Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Park, young Picket-pins were out in parties of six mostly, and sat about the mouths of their burrows or foraged in the very near vicinity. When frightened all members of each group darted for their refuge at the same time, crowding into the hole with some difficulty.

Belding Ground Squirrels become very fat in late summer and hibernate regularly; but exact dates of beginning hibernation in the autumn and emerging in the spring are wanting. We do know that they are not averse to running about over the surface of the snow at high altitudes in June, and so probably come out much earlier, and that in one year, 1915, they were still out as late as October 7 in the vicinity of Ten Lakes, Yosemite Park, although a light snowfall had already occurred. They were numerous on the extensive meadows in Tioga



Pass on September 28. It is evident that, in spite of its more elevated habitat, the Belding Ground Squirrel goes into its winter sleep a full two months later than the Oregon Ground Squirrel.

Like the Oregon Ground Squirrel, the Belding feeds largely on grass stems and blades. An individual has been seen gathering seeds from grass heads, pulling the latter down to its mouth with its fore feet; but it is certainly not the seed-eater that the California and Golden-mantled ground squirrels are. Neither is there evidence that the Belding stores up much food. As with the Oregon species, its cheek-pouches are small (see fig. 13b). At Soda Springs, on Tuolumne Meadows, the Belding Squirrels have been seen foraging like rats about the mule corral.