531 
April. A specimen kept in captivity by Baird did not hibernate, 
but many other observers have found them quite dormant in winter. 
Probably the depth and duration of the winter sleep varies with 
locality and circumstances. They have been known to ascend 
trees, but such feats are very rare. 
Early writers speak of these gophers as being not at all shy. 
Possibly persecution has made them cautious. T Hey are certainly 
not easily approached in this vicinity: They are said, however, to 
be easily tamed in captivity. 
Exact and numerous records of the number of young, time of 
birth, and period of pregnancy are wanting, but so far as available 
observations go, they indicate that there is one litter a year and that 
this is smaller than in the case of the striped gopher, containing 
about four to eight young. They are born in early spring, and re- 
main with the parents during the summer and probably till the next 
year. 
Specimens taken August 9 had reached a total length of 10.5 in. 
(268 mm.). 
In this county the species is seldom abundant enough to consti- 
tute a serious economic problem. Compared with the striped 
gopher it does more damage by eating grain and by covering grain, 
clover, etc., with the dirt from its burrows. Its burrows, being 
larger, constitute a disfigurement, and are an annoyance to horses, 
whose feet may catch in them. There is also a small amount of 
poultry and eggs charged to their account; but these losses seldom 
amount to much, while considerable benefit must result from their 
destruction of insects, especially grasshoppers. In general we be- 
lieve that the good they do quite balances the harm. 
In case they should become a pest they are easily gotten rid of 
by poisoning, or by any of the other methods applicable to the 
striped gopher. 
Their natural enemies are the larger species of hawks, and skunks 
and weasels. Cats kill some of them, and a few are killed by man. 
Like so many other rodents their number in any locality is apt to 
vary greatly from year to year. This is apparently due to migra- 
tions rather than to uneven mortality. 
There seems no reason except prejudice why the flesh of this 
gopher should not be used for food as well as that of the various 
tree-squirrels. Its food is as clean and its habits are as neat. 
