Richardson Ground-squirrel 389 



Bailey says in this connection : * *' Roots of plants are eaten 

 and a great many seeds, especially those of pig-weeds {Chen- 

 opodium album and boscianum) and wild sunflowers, which are 

 abundant and form a considerable part of the diet. They also 

 eat grasshoppers and many other insects." 



Dr. Coues tells of the manner in which these little apos- 

 tates of an herbivorous race would crowd joyfully around the 



Fig. 121 — Runs of Richardson Ground-squirrel leading to a grain-field, Carberry, Man. 

 An asylum burrow is seen every lo or 15 yards. The space shown is 30 yards each way. 



carcass of a fallen Buffalo, as near and often as they dared, in 

 view of the many stronger creatures there assembled. 



But the coming of the plough put a new complexion on 

 their lives. The farmer killed the Buffalo and the prairie 

 herbage. Very properly, then, the farmer is a lawful prey, and 

 this Ground-squirrel easily heads the list of the four-footed 

 pests with which the agriculturist has to contend in Manitoba. 



In 1889 a law was passed providing a bounty of three cents 

 to be paid for every Gopher tail delivered. The only tangible 

 result was a depleted treasury. The Ground-squirrels con- 

 tinued to exact their tribute of many bushels per acre. Bailey 



« Rep. Pr. Gr. Sq., 1893, p. 61. 



