AN INTERESTING SCENE 



transferred to the fore paws. The piece is then rapidly 

 passed across the face with a sort of wiping motion, which 

 forces it into the open mouth of the pouch. Sometimes a 

 single rapid stroke with one hand is sufficient; at other 

 times both hands are used, particularly if the piece is large. 

 In such cases the long claws of one hand are used to draw 

 down the lower side of the opening, while the food is poked 

 in with the other. The most remarkable thing connected 

 with the use of the pouches is the way they are emptied. 

 The fore feet are brought back simultaneously along the 

 sides of the head until they reach a point opposite the 

 hinder end of the pouches ; they are then pressed firmly 

 against the head and carried rapidly forward. In this way 

 the contents of the pouches are promptly deposited in 

 front of the animal. Sometimes several strokes are neces- 

 sary. I have never seen them emptied in any other way." 

 The scene, suggested by Dr. Merriam's interesting descrip- 

 tion, of this curious little animal busily engaged in convey- 

 ing supplies to his store-room would be an extremely enter- 

 taining one to watch if we could but see what is taking 

 place a few feet underground. We can imagine him hurry- 

 ing to and fro, pausing in the living-room to fill his pockets, 

 tasting each piece of potato and trimming it down to a 

 convenient size before tucking it away into the pouch, 

 stretching wide the opening with one hand while he pushes 

 in an extra large fragment with the other, and when at last 

 his pockets are well filled, hurrying along the corridor back- 

 wards to save the trouble of turning round. Then, on 

 reaching his storehouse, we picture him sitting on his 

 haunches and, by a good hard sweep with both hands, 

 squeezing all the little pieces of potato out of his pockets 

 on to the floor, where they lie in a heap while the busy 

 animal hurries away for another load. 



47 



