NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF LAKE MAXTNKUCKEE II 



On July 3 one was found dead on the railroad near Murray's where 

 it had evidently been killed by a passing train. One or more were 

 seen on Long Point, and in the autumn of 1906 several were ob- 

 served there. In 1907, soon after corn-planting, these little rodents 

 were found to have increased greatly in numbers about the gravel 

 pit. They became very destructive to the young corn in a field 

 nearby. They would pull up and eat the young plants. One 

 individual was seen to pull up 20 stalks. The owner of the field 

 shot 20 of them in May and early June. Many of them were old 

 ones while others were small and apparently young of the year. 

 The gophers of this colony had their holes or burrows in and about 

 the gravel pit. The colonies on the sandy farms south and south- 

 east of the lake had also increased considerably in numbers, as 

 had also that on Long Point. One was caught by a cat on Long 

 Point in June of that year. In 1910 it was learned that they were 

 becoming more and more abundant every year. Several were seen 

 on Long Point. On the farms south, southwest and southeast of 

 the lake they are getting to be a pest. They are probably now found 

 west, north and east of the lake in suitable situations, but we have 

 not observed them there, as our field work has not recently extended 

 into those regions. 



The Striped Gopher feeds upon young corn, wheat, oats, grass 

 and other tender plants, also upon grain and other seeds of various 

 kinds. It is very prolific and, once it has secured a foothold in any 

 locality, it is quite certain to become a serious pest sooner or later 

 unless drastic measures are taken to hold its numbers in check. 



9. Marmota monax (Linnaeus). 

 Groundhog. 



The Woodchuck, Marmot or Groundhog as it is usually called 

 in Indiana, is fairly common in most parts of the state. It most 

 delights in the more hilly districts covered with open forests or 

 grassy meadows, particularly those near fields of red clover. It 

 is not rare about Maxmkuckee. One or more pairs can usually be 

 found on the hillsides about Lost Lake, others in or at the edges 

 of the fields along the Outlet, several north and east of the lake, 

 and a few in most other suitable situations. In 1900 one had its 



