THE GOPHER . 
503 
throughout their length. The fore-feet are furnished with long and powerful claws, that of 
the second toe being the largest. The eyes are exceedingly small, the external ears are 
wanting, and the tail is extremely short. 
The Coast Rat is an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope and the coasts of Southern 
Africa, where it is found in tolerable profusion, and drives such multitudes of shallow tunnels 
that the ground which it frequents is rather dangerous for horsemen, and not at all pleasant 
even to a man on foot. The burrows are made at so short a distance from the surface that the 
earth gives way under the tread of any moderately heavy animal. Mr. Burchell, the well- 
known African traveller, narrates that in traversing the great sand flats of Southern Africa, 
he was often endangered by his feet sinking into the burrows of the Coast Rat, which had 
undermined the light soil in every direction. The animal is rather slow of foot upon the sur- 
face of the ground, but drives its subterranean tunnels with marvellous rapidity, throwing up 
little sandy hillocks at intervals, like those of the common mole. On account of this propen- 
sity it has received the name of Zand Moll , or Sand Mole, from the Hutch Boers who inhabit 
the Cape. 
The color of the Sand Mole is a uniformly light grayish -brown, rather variable in tinting. 
As it is very soft and full in texture, and can be obtained in great quantities, it might be profit- 
ably made a regular article of trade. The Sand Mole is as large as our ordinary wild rabbit, 
being about fifteen inches in total length, the tail measuring about three inches. 
There has been much confusion between the two Geomyd animals, which have been by 
several authors considered to be identical with each other. They are, however, to be easily 
distinguished from each other by the deep longitudinal grooves which run along the upper 
incisors of the present animal, and the smooth or slightly grooved incisors of the succeeding 
species. 
The Fur Country Pouched Rat is a native of Canada, and is remarkable for the enor- 
mous size of the cheek -pouches. The color of this animal’s fur is generally of a pale gray 
washed with yellow, fading into a slaty-blue towards the base of each hair. The interior of 
the pouches, the abdomen, and the tail, are covered with white hair, that which lines the 
jxmches being very short and fine. A dusky spot is observable behind each ear, the teeth are 
yellow and the claws white. The central claw of the fore-feet is almost deserving of the title 
of talon, as it is powerfully made and nearly half an inch in length. The total length of this 
animal is nearly ten inches, the tail measuring about two inches in length. 
It is rather gregarious in its habits, associating together in moderately large bands, and 
undermining the ground in all directions. It is a vegetable feeder, preferring the bulbous 
roots of the quamash, or camas (Scilla esculenta ), to any other diet, and is therefore called by 
some writers, the Camas Rat. This title is, however, given to several allied animals. It also 
feeds on nuts, roots, grain, and seeds of various kinds. The burrow of this animal is not very 
deep, but runs for a considerable distance in a horizontal direction, and along its course occa- 
sional hillocks are thrown up, by means of which it may be traced from the surface. 
Family S accomyidce includes a group of curiously formed animals, having pouches on the 
exterior surface of the cheeks, which are lined with a furry integument, and open outside the 
mouth. Under the common name Pocket Mouse, seven species are known, mostly inhabiting 
the Pacific slope, the great plains near the Rocky Mountains, and Mexico. 
Two other allied animals are known ; one called the Kangaroo Rat (. Dipodomys phillip si ) 
has very long legs, long tail, and a slender, small body. Its habitat is the Pacific slope. An 
allied species called Ord’s Pocket Rat, inhabits the Rocky Mountains and southward to 
Mexico. 
Genus Thomomys includes four species, called Pocket Gophers ; each named according to 
its place of abode, extending from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains, and southward 
to Mexico and California. 
Family Geomyidce , Earth Rats literally, are distinguished by having extremely large fore- 
feet and claws. The term Gopher (often appropriated for other animals) is the common name 
of these creatures. 
