VriTH UlICLE SALI'S NATURALISTS Friday, August 12, 1932 



FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY 



Speaking Time: 10 Minutes. 



ANNOUNCEIffiITT ; Agr.in we visit with Uncle Sam's Naturalists of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. This time we talk with one of them about 

 the hidden facts in the lives of one of the notorious animal characters of 

 the underworld on our western States, — the pocket gopher, 



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Mr. Vernon Bailey, Chief field naturalist of the United States Biologi- 

 cal Survey, tells me that most people who live in pocket-gopher country have 

 never seen a pocket gopher alive in its normal dress. 



This is not surprising, when you consider that pocket gophers spend 

 almost their entire lives underground. They are mining, "burrowing little 

 animals powerfully built to tunnel for food. 



And they certainly are industrious miners and sappers, as farmers 

 and irrigation engineers in pocket-gopher country will tell you, or show you. 

 They leave plenty of evidence of their work. Of course, a good many people 

 have seen \7et and laiddy pocket gophers forced out of their burro'.vs by 

 irrigation water. Pocket gophers in that condition are anything but attra.ctivo, 

 Mr. Bailey says that the clean, smooth-furred, sturdy little miner in its 

 normal dress is a very different looking animal. 



Mr. Bailey had investigated the private habits of many different 

 species and races of pocket gophers, varying in size from some as small 

 as a big mouse to others as heavy as a big house rat. 



He has "shot" poclcet gophers with his camera as he has caught them 

 coming to the door of their burrows to throw out loads of earth. 



From what he says, the pocket gopher is a sort of aJiimated wheel- 

 barrowv without the wheel. Instead of its scratching or kicking out the earth, 

 the pocket gopher brings each load of earth out xuader its chin and half en- 

 circled by its arms. It " vhe el-barrows" itself along by pushing with its 

 hind feet. 



But the pocket gopher doesn't waste much time outside. It can't afford 

 to. It has a host of enemies on the look out for it. The pocket gopher 

 and its close relatives are a favorite food with hawks, and owls, and weasolT, 

 and foxes, and bobcats, and badgers, and even bears. Hawks and owls swoop down 

 on the pocket gopher when it shows itself above ground. Foxes and bobcats 

 will pounce on one v/hen it throws out the earth. And when weasles can catch 

 the doorway open, thoy go right into the burrow and capture the little minor. 



