208 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



the same immediate vicinity yielded nothing for 

 several days at a stretch, probably until some 

 neighbors wandered over from nearby rimways. 



The burrow workings are simple. The plan is 

 one or more long main runways opening to the 

 surface by short side burrows at frequent inter- 

 vals. The diameter of these runways is from 

 six to ten inches, depending on the nature of 

 the soil, and the floor is kept quite clear of loose 

 dirt. Generally the runway follows any natural 

 advantage, such as fallen logs, and here often 

 the burrow is so shallow that it is but half its 

 normal diameter into the soil, the log serving to 

 cover it over. Where exit to the surface is made 

 from a deeper runway the course of the short 

 burrow is direct, and often the main runway can 

 be readily seen by looking through its short 

 length. Loose dirt is brought to these burrows 

 and pushed out, being carried just far enough to 

 be out of the way. The main runways, in many 

 cases, may extend for more than lOo feet. The 

 average depth below the surface is eight inches 

 to a foot. The dirt is handled much in the same 

 fashion as the Pocket Gopher works. A mass 

 of loose earth is pushed ahead of the body by 

 the chest and shoulders, the brCad blunt head 

 also being used to shove aside the dirt. 



Showt'ls when caught in the trap without 

 serious injury are very pugnacious, and at such 

 times when two are brought together fight fero- 

 ciously. They will bite at sticks or any objects 

 thrust near them, and I imagine that under ordi- 

 nary circumstances this pugnacity would serve 

 to keep the inhabitants of a series of burrows 

 few in number. Their resemblance to the 

 Pocket Gopher, tmder similar conditions, indi- 

 cates that the Showt'l may have the same surly 

 home-life. 



An animal caught in a steel trap by the leg 

 but with no bones broken was kept alive to 

 observe his habits. He was aggressive while 

 in the trap and when brought near another 

 captive, also uninjured, after the first tussle he 

 created such a respectful attitude in the other 

 prisoner that the latter strained at the chain to 

 keep out of his reach. They were separated 

 before either had been hiul, for the powerful 

 incisors and strong jaw muscles are capable of 

 giving deep wounds. While in the trap great 

 care in handling the animal had to be exercised. 



Before he had been in captivity twenty-four 

 hours he was taken out to be photographed. A 

 wire fastened to a hind leg prevented escape and 

 he was put down in a spot resembling his home 

 surroundings. After several determined efiforts 

 at escape, he suddenly stopped his struggles and 



grabbing a tender young shoot of the " elk brake" 

 by which he was surrounded proceeded to feed as 

 quietly and as unconcernedly as if he were per- 

 fectly free. He was quite touchy, however, and 

 anv sudden movement brought forth an attempt 

 at freedom. He sat up a great part of the time, 

 and if annoyed while in this attitude sparred 

 like a Bear with his fore paws, showing a per- 

 fect control of his position. 



So rapidly did he become tame that by night- 

 fall of the first day he took young fern shoots 

 from my hand and ate them while seated upon 

 the window sill of my room, completely oblivious 

 of my presence. His appetite was good and he 

 ate a number of fern tips, generally selecting 

 the youngest and softest from the handful 

 offered him. The elk brake, that seems to be 

 one of his main articles of diet, has many branch- 

 ing stems that bear the green foliage. The 

 Showt'l clipped off an inch or two of the terminal 

 stems, a single snip of the sharp incisors gener- 

 ally severing the small stem. Then holding this 

 stem in his fore paws the animal passed the 

 tender fronds back between the molars, and with 

 a rather hurried crunching numched them down, 

 mastication though rapid seeming to be quite 

 thorough and audible as well. The posture of 

 the animal was squirrel-like, with the back 

 somewhat arched. 



He drank large amounts of water when it was 

 given him. He ])Ut his nose into the water and 

 drank, and did not lap it up. This Showt'l 

 was liberated on the bank of a small clear brook 

 and as an experiment he was put out into a fairly 

 deep pool. He swam ashore showing no fear 

 whatever of the water, but evidently displaying 

 no particular fondness for it. He looked very 

 much like a slowly swimming tailless Musk-Rat. 

 Despite the fact that the Showt'l has been de- 

 scribed as being a water-loving animal, 1 do 

 not think it ever swims from choice. This one 

 spent some time after coming ashore in shaking 

 out his fur and going over his sides and belly 

 before he felt sufficiently comfortable to begin 

 eating. 



This animal washed his face after the manner 

 of small mammals, reaching back with the fore 

 ])aws onto his shoulders and hinder neck readily, 

 the movements being short, quick dabs. A\'hen 

 irritated he twitched the whiskers energetically 

 and when most angry uttered a husky querulous 

 note somewhat like a cough. PTe often satisfied 

 his curiosity by sniffling and working his nose, 

 and this member seemed to be very sensitive, for 

 the slightest blowing upon it produced spasmodic 

 starts. A\'hen aroused his eves had a bright alert 



