SERVICE OF CHEEK POUCHES 
houses vastly more stuff than they consume. The one inhabit- 
ing the Gulf states, which the Georgians and Floridans call 
“salamander,” is particularly injurious to orange orchards 
and sweet-potato plantations; and the Californian species are 
exceedingly destructive to fruit trees and vines. Another 
charge is that they spread the growth of certain troublesome 
weeds. On the credit side, their continual overturning of the 
loam, and accidental burial of much vegetable refuse, is a 
practical plowing and manuring of great utility in developing 
fertile soils. Many interesting details of the habits of all this 
group are related by Vernon Bailey in his account of Texas 
animals.** 
In these operations they make constant use of their pouches, 
cutting the food into small pieces, and then by swift and dexterous 
motions with the fore feet packing 
it into the pouches, usually filling 
one before the other. They do not 
drink at all. The pouches are 
emptied by putting a paw behind 
each and squeezing the contents out. 
Thus stores are carried by the bag- 
ful to the big central chamber 
in which their tunnels concentrate, 
where the gopher is really ‘at 
home” with his mate, and where the young are reared on 
a bed of grass, leaves, etc.; but pairs may be found together 
only in early spring. To their solitary mode of life, gophers 
probably owe the vicious pugnacity so characteristic of them. 
None seems to hibernate. Two or three young only are born 
annually; but this small rate of increase is balanced, as Bailey 
points out in his paper * on their habits, by the safety from 
enemies, storms, and other dangers gained by their mode of 
life. Thus the reddish prairie gopher (Geomys bursarius) re- 
mains exceedingly numerous and troublesome ¢ll over the well- 
427 
CHEEK POUCHES, 
