158 CALIFORNIA MAMMAI^S. 



None of my captive Pocket-Rats would drink water. For 

 food they preferred grain, but also ate such vegetables as sweet 

 potatoes and the leaves of beets and cabbages. They consumed 

 little more than a heaping tablespoonful of wheat or barley in 

 twenty-four hours. The two pockets together held a heaping 

 tablespoonful of grain and therefore would carry nearly a full 

 day's ration. 



The pockets are filled by the fore feet used as hands. The 

 filling is done so rapidly that when a hard grain, like wheat, is 

 used a continuous rattling sound is made. The ejection of the 

 grain is aided by a forward squeezing motion of the fore feet, 

 each foot making twO' or three quick forward passes scarcely 

 occupying a second of time. 



The position at rest was a curious one. At first the animal 

 stood on all four feet, with the entire sole of the hind foot 

 resting on the ground, some of the weight coming on the fore 

 feet. Presently the hind feet would hitch forward until the 

 center of gravity came over the hind feet, thus taking all the 

 weight, then often the fore part of the body would be raised 

 slightly and the fore feet drawn up against the body. If dis- 

 posed to sleep the bright eyes would slowly close, the fore feet 

 droop until touching" the ground, the nose come slowly down and 

 backward until resting between the toes of the hind feet, and the 

 now sleeping animal was nearly as round as a ball. This ap- 

 pears to be the common sleeping posture. If there be room the 

 tail will be extended backward in a nearly straight line, but in 

 cramped quarters it will be curved to one side or even alongside 

 of the body, but in either case the basal part will be extended 

 back far enough to give some support. 



Dipodomys merriami simiolus Rhoads. (For Dr. C. 

 Hart Merriam; a little mimic.) 



MIMIC POCKET-RAT. 



Very similar in color to descrti, but much smaller; tip of tail 



