MAMMALS OF THE REGION 85 



in their warm nests during the daytime. Well after 

 dark they come out of the burrows, and on the soft 

 furry soles of the long hind feet go hopping noiselessly 

 about in search of food, or skimming over the ground 

 in flying leaps with surprising speed. The little front 

 feet are used mainly as hands for gathering food, filling 

 the capacious cheek pouches, and holding the small 

 seeds and delicate plants that they eat. They are 

 dainty feeders, rejecting all coarse parts, coatings, and 

 shells of seeds, and selecting only the tender, juicy tips 

 of growing plants, or the moisture-laden sprouts and 

 bulbs, which supply the water necessary for a healthy 

 desert life. Their systems are so perfectly adjusted to 

 conserve moisture that a relatively small amount is 

 required to supply their needs, and this they get from 

 their food even in the most arid sections of our deserts 

 where no visible water is to be found. Their under- 

 ground and nocturnal habits also protect them from 

 the extremely dry air of the desert climate and give 

 them a comfortable and comparatively safe type of 

 life. 



The kangaroo rats are neither kangaroos nor rats, 

 but a remarkable family of desert rodents, with external 

 cheek pockets, long hind legs and tails, large heads and 

 pretty buff and white markings. The white tip of the 

 tail is a character of this species. 



