Spermophilus variegatus grammurus (Say)
Rock Squirrel
Specimens examined.—Total, 6: Head of Prater Canyon, MV 7876/507; Chickaree Draw, Prater Canyon, MV 7843/507, 7844/507; Headquarters Area, MV 7888/507; Ruins Road ½ mi. NE of Cliff Palace, MV 7893/507; and Spruce Tree House, 4334 in Denver Museum.
Specimen number 7893/507 had 360 Purshia seeds in its cheek-pouches according to a note on the label. On July 18, 1960, I found a young male rock squirrel dead on the road a mile north of headquarters that had 234 pinyon seeds in its cheek-pouches. Young, recorded as "half-grown," have been observed in May and July. The first appearance may be as early as January. In 1950, D. Watson thought that they did not hibernate, except for a few days when the weather was stormy. I observed a rock squirrel in August in the public campground at Park Headquarters sitting on its haunches on a branch of a juniper some twelve feet from the ground and eating an object held in its forefeet. The rock squirrel ranges throughout the Park in all habitats.
Eutamias minimus operarius Merriam
Least Chipmunk
Specimens examined.—Total, 17: North Rim above Morfield Canyon, MV 7856/507; Morfield Canyon, 7600 ft. (obtained on Nov. 4, 1957), 75976; Middle Well in Prater Canyon, 7500 ft, MV 7855/507; Prater Canyon, 7600 ft., MVZ 74414; Park Point, 8525 ft., 69267–69270; ¼ mi. S, ¾ mi. W Park Point, 8300 ft., 69271–69272; Sect. 27, head of east fork of Navajo Canyon, 7900 ft., 69273; Far View Ruins, 7700 ft., 69274–69275, and two uncatalogued specimens in preservative; 3 mi. N Rock Springs, 8200 ft., 69276–69277.
Five of the fourteen specimens of known sex are females, all of which were taken in August and September, and none of which is recorded as having contained embryos. The skulls of the eight August-taken specimens also suggest that young are born in late spring or early summer: the largest skull had well-worn teeth that might indicate an age of more than one year; four others had complete adult dentitions that were barely worn; and three had not yet acquired complete adult dentitions.
The records of E. minimus, like those of Spermophilus lateralis, indicate greatest abundance in the higher parts of the Mesa Verde and in areas of predominantly brushy vegetation.
Eutamias quadrivittatus hopiensis Merriam
Colorado Chipmunk
Specimens examined.—Total, 13: Prater Canyon, 7600 ft., MV 7838/507; Lower Well, Prater Canyon, 69278; Park Headquarters, MV 7889/507; near the old Park Well, 7300 ft., 5468 in Univ. of Colorado collection; Utility Area, 5469 and 5470 in Univ. of Colorado collection; Spruce Tree House, 4352–4355 in Denver Museum; Mesa Verde, 25 mi. [by road] SW Mancos, 149080–149081 USNM; Square Tower House, 7000 ft., 5467 in Univ. of Colorado collection.