WOOD-EATS, PACK-RATS, ETC. Ill 



on entering the burrow before daylight in the 

 morning they securely close the opening behind 

 them by packing it full of fresh sand, doubtless 

 to keep out snakes, weasels, and other unwel- 

 come intruders. 



Their food consists mainly of the small seeds 

 of native desert plants, but also includes a little 

 grain. A part of the food is carried into their 

 burrows for future use. They are never suffi- 

 ciently abundant to seriously injure crops, but 

 a year or two ago were found damaging vine- 

 yards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 

 by biting off fruit-buds. The trouble was easily 

 disposed of by scattering poisoned grain near 

 their burrows. This course will always free a 

 locality from them whenever they may become 

 a little harmful. 



