Prairie Gopher 



and turns. At intervals openings are made through which to dis- 

 charge the earth that makes the little piles called gopher-hills." 



Gophers have regular storehouses where roots and other foods 

 are stored away, being carried in the peculiar pockets on each side 

 of the face. 



Dr. Goode describes their digging habits as follows: "They 

 dig by grubbing with the nose and a rapid shovelling with the 

 long curved fore paws assisted by the pushing of the hind feet, 

 which removes the earth from beneath the body and propels it 

 back with great power a distance of eight or ten inches. When 

 a small quantity of earth has accumulated in the rear of the 

 miner, around he whirls with a vigorous flirt of the tail and, 

 joining his fore paws before his nose, he transmutes himself into a 

 sort of wheelbarrow pushing the dirt before him to a convenient 

 distance." 



Except during the breeding season gophers live singly. They 

 are very pugnacious and fight viciously and, when caught away 

 from their burrows, do not hesitate to attack their captor. 



Varieties of the Georgia Gopher 



1. Georgia Gopher. Geomys fuia (Ord), Description and range 



as above. 



2. Florida Gopher. G. ttiia floridaniis (Audubon & Bachman). 



Rather larger and duller in colour, with a white spot under 

 the chin. 

 Range. Eastern Florida, St. Mary's River to Eau Gallic. 



3. West Florida Gopher. G. iti^a austrinus (Bangs). Paler, 



with much more white below. 

 Range. Western Florida. 



4. Alabama Gopher. G. tuia mobilensis Merriam. Smaller and 



darker than the Georgia gopher. 

 Range. Extreme Northwestern Florida and Alabama. 



5. Island Gopher. G. cumber I an dins Bangs. Larger than the 



Georgia gopher, but like it in colour. 

 Range. Cumberland Island, Georgia. 



Prairie Gopher 



Geomys bursarius (Shaw) 

 Also called Pocket Gopher, 



98 



