Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 471 



was never seen east of the Wabash River, but recently it is said 

 to have appeared there. In Vigo County it was common from 

 1886 to 1891 and has so increased in abundance since then as to 

 have become a serious pest. 



In 1899 when our field work began at Lake Maxinkuckee the 

 Striped Gopher was rare in that region; in fact, only one or two 

 pairs were seen during that season. They had their home at the 

 Gravelpit and were observed most frequently in August. In 1900 

 they were more numerous. Besides the colony at the Gravelpit, 

 one or more were seen occasionally further south along the rail- 

 road, several about the sandy hills southeast of the lake, and now 

 and then one was noted on Long Point. In 1904 they had still fur- 

 ther increased. On July 3 one was found dead on the railroad near 

 Murray's where it had evidently been killed by a passing train, and 

 several others were seen at the Gravelpit. 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 ro- 

 dents were found to have increased greatly in numbers about the 

 Gravelpit. 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 Gravelpit. 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 be- 

 coming more and more abundant every year. Several were seen 

 on Long Point. Observations made in the fall of 1913 indicate 

 that they are still increasing. On September 17, one was seen at 

 the Gravelpit, and one or more were noted near Murray's on Oc- 

 tober 4 and 6. 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 re- 

 cently 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 vari- 

 ous 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. 



