16 



whose noiseless flight allows of an unsus- 

 pected approach. They are a much more 

 awkward animal in motion than the striped 

 gopher, and are, therefore, more easily 

 captured. If they are once externnnated 

 in a locality they do not retarn for some 

 time, as their rate of increase is not so 

 rapid as that of the other species. 1 Ins 

 species is distinguished from the succeed- 

 ing by the long bushy tail and unifonii 

 gray color. 



The remaining species is Richardson's 

 spermophile (Spermophilus Richardsoni) 

 a shorter-tailed species than Franklinl, and 

 the tail is not nearly so bushy. Its i-ange 

 m the more gravelly and hilly portion of 

 the province from Dakota north to Carlton 

 House on the Saskatchewan river and west 

 of a line drawn through Carberry and 

 Petrel. It resembles the prairie dog, 

 {Cynofny's ludovicianus) in both form_ and 

 color. It is abundant in fields and fresh 

 clearings, and even in populous districts in 

 many places is exceedingly numerous. 

 Many western farmers, who do not know 

 the Franklin spermophile, complain of this 

 species, and there is little doubt that it is 

 on account of the excessive numbers that 

 the damage done is so apparent. _ They 

 are bolder and more savage than either of 

 the other species, and this would v-ake 

 them an easier mark to the larger havv^ks. 

 As all three species of spennophiles are 

 diurnal (being most active in morning and 

 evening), the owls (save the few diurnal 

 hunting species) are unable to persecute 

 them, and as they all hibernate during cold 

 weather and store up food for inclement 

 weather, they escape the persecution oi the 

 winter visiting species of hawks and owls, 

 and therefore have that much better op- 

 portunity to increase. 



The term gopher, as applied 'o the sper- 

 mophile, is inappropriate, as the gophers 

 are a different class of animal, 'he spermo- 

 phile being more correctly speaking ground 

 squirrels, while the succediiig species i? 

 the only gopher we have in Manitoba. 



The only remaining grain-destroying 

 mannmal to be noted is the gray pocket 

 gopher (Thomoniy's talpoidcs). A iine- 

 furred, thick-set animal, approaching the 



size of the striped gopher, but much 

 thicker proportionately. The cheek pouches 

 are separate from the mouth opening and 

 can contain a considerable quantity of food. 

 The legs are short and thick, while the 

 forefoot is developed into a long claw, 

 especially adapted for digging. The tail 

 is short and almost devoid of hair. This 

 animal spends most of its time below t\\2 

 surface, only appearing to throw out the 

 earch which it is constantly loosening as 

 it continues its tunnelling. This work, 

 the result of which is seen in ihe mounds 

 of fine earth thrown up in the fields, 1:: 

 doubly destructive, in that it buries much 

 of the grain too deep to permit of its growth 

 and also undermines the roots of much of 

 the growing seed in the vicinity. It is 

 upon the roots of these grains and shrubs 

 that he animal feeds. Occa^^ionally it 

 pulls down the heads of grain into the 

 burrow, but as a rule it is content to feed 

 upon the roots and underground growth. 

 The species is especially destructive to 

 young trees, and will destroy- whole orch- 

 ards and groves by cutting off the roots 

 of the trees. They will also destroy large 

 quantities of turnips, carrots, potatoes and 

 other vegetables. As this animal is chiefly 

 nocturnal, it would be more a pi'^y to owls 

 than hawks, and, as it seldom comes far 

 above the surface, about the only species 

 which can combat them is the liLile bur 

 rowing owl, which seems to be extending 

 its range into our country. Badgers and 

 weasels persecute these gophers persistent- 

 ly, the badger digging the gopher out, while 

 the largest weasel is able to enter the tun- 

 nels with ease, and this invariably results 

 in a dead gopher. There are various 

 methods adopted to kill off all these de- 

 structive animals at times, when their 

 numbers increase abnormally. It can no 

 longer be disputed that as an agency to- 

 ward the perpetual limitation of their num- 

 bers, the hawks and owls, though long 

 unjustly persecuted, are certainly deserv- 

 ing of our respect and protection. We can 

 well spare an occasional young chicken or 

 an old rheumatic fowl to these birds in 

 return for the number of the pests they 

 annually destroy. 



