Yellow Pocket Gopher 
89 
or three each, though Stephens mentions one case of a 
California species of Thomomys where he found six embryos 
in a female. Such special cases as have come to my notice 
are mentioned under the species they belong to. 
Gophers are of solitary habits and almost invariably but 
one will be found in a burrow, except during the breeding 
season, when a pair may be together. The young start out 
to shift for themselves at an early age and dig their own 
tunnels. The animals seem to be of a naturally vicious 
disposition; when caught in traps they fight fiercely, trying 
to bite their captor. Their large strong front teeth make 
them rather formidable as they could inflict severe wounds 
with them if given a chance; but I have always been particular 
not to let them have the chance. This savage disposition 
is what we might expect from their solitary habits. They 
do not seem to have any cries worthy of mention; the only 
noise I have heard them make is a faint squeaking when one 
was alive in the pocket of a shooting coat and trying to 
make its escape; this note was so faint as to be scarcely audi- 
ble, but was something like the squeak of a mouse. I have 
heard it several times. 
An excellent account of the habits of Pocket Gophers, as 
well as of their anatomy and classification may be found in 
Dr. C. Hart Merriam's paper "Monographic Revision 
of the Pocket Gophers," North American Fauna, No. 8, 
published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and also 
in Bulletin No. 5 of the Biological Survey, "The Pocket 
Gophers of the United States," by Vernon Bailey. This lat- 
ter is a more popular account of the animals and gives 
directions for destroying them, as well as much about their 
habits. 
Genus CRATOGEOMYS (Grk. kratos, strong, powerful, and 
geomys) . 
Cratogeomys Merriam, N.A. Fauna, No. 8, p. 150 (1895). Type 
C. merriami. 
