Coloration is grayish brown on the back, grayish on the head, light gray on the sides, and whitish to buffy on the underparts. In some subspecies there is a faint middorsal line of black. The tail is relatively full and nearly the same color as the back, or slightly lighter. The head is sharply pointed. The incisor teeth are deep orange.
Females have six mammae.
This squirrel occurs from sea level to elevations of about 1,225 meters. In some parts of its range it frequents rocks that are surrounded by thick shrubs. It may occur near cultivated areas, in open fields, or in forests. Although essentially a ground squirrel, it is occasionally observed climbing about in clumps of bamboo at short distances from the ground. It is plentiful along the edges of rice fields and in long grass, especially in the early evenings.