Pocket-gopher 



577 



During the coldest weather it never appears outside, and snow- 

 yet evidently continues its labours. We have proof of this nels 

 in the remarkable clay-castings or tunnel-plugs that it leaves 

 under the snow. In the spring, after the snow and ice have 

 melted, these clay casts are found in curious serpentine laby- 

 rinths over the grass of the hollows. They are no doubt 

 the material that would have formed hills had the snow not 

 compelled the Gopher to dispose of the stuff in a different 

 way. 







Snow tunnel over winch log '- 





7X9/ee/ 



^ ,All about 3 inches wide / i/ 

 by f'/2 inches h i£h f ' 



SNOW-TUNNELS OF 

 POCKET-GOPHER 



White Hii'erPlafeau,Cdlo. 



irj< Sept 1 got 



Fig. 169. 



Fig. 169 shows a snow-tunnel plug by fossor. I saw 

 hundreds of these in each day's ride through the mountains of 

 Colorado; they were seen chiefly in upland hollows where 

 the snow had been deep. This, though it had been exposed to 

 the weather for five months, was i^ inches high and about 3 

 inches wide. I imagine that when first uncovered by the 

 melting of the snow, it was at least 3 inches high. It is far 



