GOPHERS AS FOOD. 



17 



incessantly, moving the dirt back and forth. He would sometimes 

 stop and scratch or gnaw the wood, but to no great extent. He would 

 eat.raw potatoes when no one was near, but would stop eating or work- 

 ing to try to fight anything that moved within his range of vision, 

 rie always tried to bite when I stroked him, and finally, after he had 

 succeeded in putting, his teeth through the end of my finger, I gave 

 him his liberty. 



The fierce disposition is just what might be expected from the soli- 

 tary mode of life. From the time the young are half grown and big 

 enough to start burrows of their own, each individual lives entirely 

 alone, except during the short mating season in early spring'. Living 

 alone and in the dark for eleven months of the year is not calculated 

 to develop a lovable disposition. To the same causes — darkness and 

 solitude — may also be attributed the Gopher's small eyes and ears, 

 narrow brain case, and undeveloped voice. 



Voice. — The usual hissing sound made when angry seems to have no 

 connection with the vocal organs, but to be the result of rapid inhala- 

 tion and exhalation through the half-open mouth. Perhaps the hairy 

 lining of the mouth aids in producing the sound. When the Gophers 

 are caught and held firmly in the- hand, or in any way hurt, they some- 

 times utter a sharp squeal that expresses either pain or a climax of 

 rage. It is rarely heard, however. In handling a large number of the 

 animals alive I can recall but three instances in which they gave vent 

 to this cry. 



Mr. Edwin A. Donald, in an interesting letter on the Pocket Gopher, 

 says: " I have killed scores of them, and the only outcry, when struck, 

 that I ever heard was on one occasion, when the animal gave a faint 

 squeak, like a mouse, but not so loud. All the others I have killed 

 died silent." 



GOPHERS AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD. 



Unless they are too small, there is no reason why Pocket Gophers 

 should not be used as food. Their habits are cleanly and in no way 

 objectionable. They are strict vegetarians. Sometimes, from eating 

 onions, leeks, or other strong plants, their flesh has an unpleasant odor, 

 but usually it is sweet and tender. Mr. H. P. Attwater, of San Antonio, 

 Texas, writes the division that " the German settlers on St. Charles 

 Peninsula, in Aransas County, Texas, used to eat the Gophers, and 

 pronounced them excellent,'' 



THE TEETH.* 



Structure and manner of attachment. — All of the Pocket Gophers have 

 the same number of teeth, namely, 20; 10 above and 10 below. There 

 are 5 on each side of each jaw — a large cutting tooth in front (the 



* Abstract by Dr. Merriam of part of his article on the 'Dynamics of tbe Teeth,' 

 from N. Am. Fauna, No. 8, 1895. 



12983— No. 5 2 



