A small American squirrel, marked with black stripes on a yellowish-brown skin ; thence called striped squirrel; also ground squirrel, since it lives in the ground, in which it burrows arid makes its nest. It lives on seeds and nuts, which it carries in cheek pouches and stores up in its holes. It is also called cheeping squirrel, from the noise it makes. Its worst enemy is the weasel, which follows it into its burrow.