Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 243 



forming a complete network of underground roads through which these 

 strange animals can travel for miles. In digging them, the gophers 

 run up shafts at irregular intervals from 2 to 10 feet apart, which open 

 to the surface usually a little at one side of the main gallery, and from 

 each of these side cuts they throw out the earth brought from the main 

 gallery below, to the amount of from a quart to one or more bushels, 

 and thus form little piles of earth by which the general course of the 

 burrow may be traced. They have a remarkable antipathy to the 

 light and these side cuts are usually closed again with earth after they 

 have served their first purpose. . . . The main galleries are about 

 4 inches in diameter and the side cuts from 2 to 3 inches. ... As 

 observed in captivity, when the gopher begins to dig from the surface, 

 he at first loosens the earth with his claws, aided sometimes with his 

 teeth, then scratches it back with his fore-feet, and throws it further 

 off with his hind-feet. As the hole deepens, he does not always carry 

 out the earth in his pouches, but frequently, after throwing it behind 

 him a short distance, turns round and simply pushes it forth with his 

 head and shoulders, sometimes filling his pouches first and pushing 

 before him a quantity of earth besides. In carrying it for some dis- 

 tance within his burrow, however, he appears oftener to convey it all 

 in his pouches. . . . 



''The proper food of the gopher consists of roots, which are usually 

 obtained without leaving his underground roads. Though he some- 

 times comes to the surface to feed upon the leaves and seeds of plants, 

 this does not appear to be his principal means of subsist ance. The 

 manner in which he naturally procures food is by approaching it from 

 below, without coming above ground at all. He lays up stores, appar- 

 ently, at all seasons. Considerable quantities of the roots of the 

 rosin-weed {Silphium laciniatum), wild artichokes or wild sunflower 

 (Helianthus?), spike flower (Liatris?), and various other plants, are 

 collected in its burrows on the prairies; while, in cultivated fields, I 

 am informed, the roots of the grasses, potatoes, and other vegetables 

 are found in its holes" (/. c, pp. 72-75). 



The young number from 3 to 6, generally 4 or 5, and the majority 

 are bom in April in this latitude. 



Specimens examined from Illinois, Wisconsin and adjoining states: 

 Illinois — Anderson, i. 

 Indiana — St. Joseph, i. 

 Minnesota — Ft. Snelling, 4. 

 Wisconsin — (M. P. M.) Fountain City, 4; Fresco tt, Pierce Co., 6; 



St. Croix Dam, i; Mouth of Yellow River, Burnett Co., 2; Rush 



City Bridge, Burnett Co., i; (S. C). Meridian, Dunn Co., 2 = 16. 



