•f- 10. A r c t o m y s ( S p e r m o p h i l u s ) B e e c h e y i . , (Richardson.)
Beechey s Marmot.
Quauhtecallotlquapachtli, ant Coztiocotequallia. Ferstaedez, Quad. Nov. Hisp., p. 8. ? nee tamen “ Le
. Coquattin” du Buffon.
A. SpermoPhixus (Beecheyi), auriculis conspicuis, cdrpore super rufëseenti-allo fuligneoque minuté maculato '
undulatove siibter cervinoj catudâ elongatâ e nigro eanescenti.
Beechey’s Marmot, with cheek-pouches, conspicuous ears ; body above minutely spotted or waved with reddish-
white marks on ablackish-brown ground, under parts pale brownish-yellow ; an unusually long, round
tail of arnixed black and white colour.
P la t e x i i B .
Mr. Collie, surgeon of His Majesty’s ship Blossom, informs me that this kind
of Spermophile “ burrows in great numbers in the sandy declivities and dry plains
in the neighbourhood of San Francisco and Monterey, in California, close to the
houses. They frequently stand up on their hind legs when looking round about
them. In running, they carry the tail generally straight out, but when passing
over any little inequality, it is raised, as if to prevent its being soiled. In rainy
weather, and when the fields are wet and dirty, they come but little above ground.
They take the alarm when any one passes within twenty or thirty yards of them,
and run off at full speed till they reach the mouth of their hole, where they stop a
little and then enter it. They soon .come out again, but with caution, and if not
molested will proceed to their usual occupations of playing or feeding, Artemisias
and other vegetable matters were found in their stomachs.’’
I have not met with any description or notice of this animal by preceding
writers unless my quotation of Fernandez be correct. In colour, size, appearance
of the tail, and in general form, it approaches closely to the Arctomys Franklinii ; its
most evident distinctive character being the greater size of its ears. The specific
name has been adopted in honour of the able and scientific Commander of the
Blossom. The Arctomys Beecheyi is an inhabitant of more .southern districts than
that to which this work is confined ; but it is introduced here for the purpose of
giving as complete a list as possible of the American marmots, which, until very
lately, have not received their due share of attention.
jPtzbLished, by John Murray. J a n u a ry 2 8 %i9 .