146 



INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1904. 



Family GeomyidcB: Pouched Gophers. 

 This family includes all of our Pocket 

 Gophers. They possess well defined 

 cheek pouches opening outside of their 

 ; mouths on the side of the face, a peculi- 

 Fig. 139— Outline of h'ead ^rity not posscsscd by the preceding 

 extem'^an?°''o'l,eUS'^'of family; furthermore, they have four 

 0rig^na'i°"''^ °* '^^* ^'^^' molar teeth above and below on both 

 isides. Their skulls are heavy and somewhat depressed, their fore 

 feet and claws are large, adapted for digging, and the body is thick 

 and clumsy, quite unlike that of the so-called gophers, found in 

 the preceding family, and so common in Minnesota. 



We have in this state two pocket gophers, both of which are 

 injurious. The one, Geoniys biirsarius, is common almost every- 

 where, especially in our prairie counties. It is reddish brown. 

 The second is Thouwmys talpoidcs, a northwestern form, which pene- 

 trates the northwestern part of the state. This species is lead 

 color, with breast, feet and tail more or less whitish. 



Fig. 140. — Pocket ("loplier, Geomys hursarius, Shaw. After ]\[erriam. 



The injury caused by pocket gophers in a farming community 

 is enormous ; not only do they consume large quantities of alfalfa, 

 clover and wheat in the neighborhood of their burrows, eat root 



