FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Upperparts (winter). — Dark ochraceous, heavily sprinkled 

 with black-tipped hairs; pelage slate-colored at base; small 

 blackish patches about nose, cheek, and ear; white about 

 lips, on lining of cheek-pouches, and on feet; tail dusky to 

 brownish gray above and below. 



Underparts. — Usually somewhat lighter than upperparts, 

 washed with dull ochraceous, the dark-colored basal pelage 

 showing through. 



Measurements. — Males noticeably larger than females. 

 Total length, males, 10.5 inches, females, 9; tail vertebrae, 

 males, 3.2 inches, females, 2.8; hind foot, males, 1.3 inches, 

 females, i.i inches. 



Geographical Distribution. — Western North America from 

 about 54° southward into Mexico. 



Food. — Strictly vegetable, including a wide variety of roots 

 and underground growths, such as bulbs, tubers, etc., as well 

 as surface foliage and green vegetation, occasionally bark; 

 destructive to crops such as potatoes, garden vegetables, 

 alfalfa, clover, grain, and in orchards to the roots of fruit 

 trees, especially apple, pear, and fig trees. 



Enemies. — Snakes, Hawks, Owls, Weasels, Coyotes, Foxes, 

 Badgers and Bobcats. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Thomomys 



Subgenus Thomomys 



Bottae Group 



Characterized by coloration mainly dark or light 

 ochraceous; mammae in four pairs (inguinal, 2-2; pectoral, 

 2-2). 



California Pocket Gopher. — Thomomys hottcE hottcB (Eydoux 

 and Gervais). Plate XXVI. 

 As described above. Found in "Coast region of California 

 from Sonoma County (Freestone) south to San Diego." 

 (Bailey). 



Humboldt Bay Pocket Gopher. — Tkojno?nys bott<x laticeps 

 (Baird). 

 Resembling typical hottcB, but color brighter and with less 

 black. Upperparts clear rusty ochraceous with few black- 

 tipped hairs; underparts light buffy ochraceous. Total 

 length, males, 10.5 inches, females, 9; tail vertebras, males, 

 3.5 inches, females, 3.1 ; hind foot, males, 1.3 inches, females, 



270 



