There are three kinds each of chipmunks and ground-squirrels.  All of the former have striped backs and do more or less climbing of trees.  Of their friendliness, greediness, and even sociability—­where nuts are in evidence or anticipated—­I have written fully in the chapter on Tahoe Tavern.  Of the three ground-squirrels the largest is the common ground-squirrel of the valleys of California.  It is gray, somewhat spotted on the back, and has a whitish collar and a bushy tail.  The next in size is the “picket-pin”, so called from his habit of sitting bolt upright on his haunches and remaining steadfast there, without the slightest movement, until danger threatens, when he whisks away so rapidly that it is quite impossible to follow his movements.  In color he is of a grayish brown, with thick-set body, and short, slim tail.  He has an exceeding sharp call, and makes his home in grassy meadows from the level of the Lake nearly to the summits of the highest peaks.  The “copper-head” is the other ground-squirrel, though by some he may be regarded as a chipmunk, for he has a striped back.

The flying squirrel is also found here.  It comes out only at night and lives in holes in trees.  On each side between the fore and hind legs it has a hairy flap, which when stretched out makes the body very broad, and together with its hairy tail it is enabled to sail from one tree to another, though always alighting at a lower level.  A more correct name would be a “sailing” squirrel.  The fur is very soft, of a mouse color and the animal makes a most beautiful pet.  It has great lustrous eyes and is about a foot in length.

The tree squirrel about the Lake is the pine squirrel or “chickeree.”  The large tree squirrel is abundant on the west slope of the Sierra from about six thousand feet downward, but it is not in the Lake basin, so far as I am aware.  The pine squirrel is everywhere, from the Lake side to the summits of the highest wooded peaks.  It is dark above, whitish to yellow below, usually with a black line along the side.  The tail is full, bushy, the hairs tipped with white forming a broad fringe.  It feeds on the seeds of the pine cones.

The woodchuck or marmot is a huge, lumbering, squirrel-like animal in the rocky regions, wholly terrestrial and feeding chiefly on roots and grass.  The young are fairly good eating and to shoot them with a rifle is some sport.

Of the fur bearing and carnivorous animals the otter, fisher, etc., all are uncommon, though some are trapped every year by residents of the Lake.  The otter and mink live along the larger streams and on the Lake shore where they feed chiefly on fish.  They may sometimes catch a wild fowl asleep.  The martin and fisher live in pine trees usually in the deepest forests, and they probably prey on squirrels, mice and birds.  They are usually nocturnal in their habits.  The martin is the size of a large tree squirrel; the fisher is about twice that size.  The foxes are not often seen, but the coyote is everywhere, a scourge to the few bands of sheep.  Often at night his long-drawn, doleful howl may be heard, a fitting sound in some of the wild granite canyons.