Miners, Diggers, and Carpenters. 



claws. But the distinctive feature, and the one from 

 which the little animal takes its two popular names, 

 is the possession of a pair of large, fur-lined pouches 

 which open outside the cheeks and are literally used 

 as pockets. The Pocket-gopher digs out long tunnels 

 at about a foot below the surface of the ground, in its 

 search for the tender roots of plants, which 'form its 

 chief food supply. The little animal abounds on the 

 extensive plains of the Mississippi region, where it often 

 does considerable damage. Its favourite nesting site 

 would appear to be deep down in the ground beneath 

 some large tree ; here it sinks a deep, winding passage 

 which opens into the large living-chamber some four 

 or five feet below the surface. This living-room is 

 usually carpeted with a bed of soft grasses, while, when 

 it is doing double duty as living-room and nursery, the 

 bed of grasses is mixed with a quantity of fur which the 

 mother Gopher tears from her coat, just as our female 

 wild rabbits do, to make a softer and warmer couch 

 for her offspring. From one side of the main living- 

 room a second passage generally leads to another chamber 

 which serves as a storeroom, and here the Pocket- 

 gopher stores up quantities of roots, nuts, pieces of 

 potato, and other vegetable supplies. 



Dr. Merriam, who has made a special study of the 

 habits of this curious and interesting animal, states 

 that in the process of digging its tunnel the Pocket- 

 gopher uses its strong and long upper teeth as a pick 

 to loosen the earth, while " at the same time the fore- 

 feet are kept in active operation, both in digging and 

 in pressing the earth back under the body, and the 

 hind feet are also used in moving it still farther back- 



