The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-04-22


of pulling on very obstinate boot.
"Shosee, bringee, bringee, quickee." His
face lighted up in an instant. SOUL"
said he. "Git," said I. And in five min
utes had the shoes.
The Prairie.GOpher.
DIR. ELLIOTT CONES, U. S. A., con-
tributes a paper on the prairie gopher to
late number of the NaturaIist, from
which the following facts are taken:
The gophers belong to the family of
squirrels (Scinrsde), and inhabit the
western portion of North America, from
Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, and also
large part of the Northern Hemisphere of
the Old World. They are fitted for liv-
ing in burrows-rarely, if ever, climbing
trees-and, for the most part, are found
in the open prairies Two species occur
east of the Mississippi; but from the
plains to the Pacific they abound in pro-
fusion.
The prairie-gopber occurs in vast mum
bers over hundreds of thousands of miles
of Western territory. DR.. Cones states
that he never say any a91mais IN such
= for days and weeks where they were
continuously as numerous as prairie
dogs are in their popuious villages.
Their numbers to the square mile are
vastly greater than ever ascertained
those of s. Beecheyie, the pest of Cali
fornia, to be under the most favorable
conditions. In word their name il
legion. If Dakota and Montana were
the garden of the world (Which they are
not, however) either the gophers or the
gardeners would have to quit"
They do not seem to prefer one locality
over another, being quite as abundant
m sterile, alkaline wastes as in fertile,
grassy plains; but their gregarlous in
stinct is strong, and they are generally
seen assembled in communities, accord
ing TO the habit of prairie-dogs. Now
and then, oddly enough, Dr.. Cones
would find single individual established
miles away from his fellows. These
solitary specimens were, in every case
observed, males; and, of course, had
withdrawn from the society of their kind
on account of some blight upon their
early affections. 1t is to be noted, how.
ever, that they were peculiarly sleek and
enormously fat. A celibate life agreed
with them undeniably.
The burrows of the prairie gopher are
not quite large enough to admit mans
arm. They slant obliquely from the
mouth, and generally form an elbow at
the depth of foot or so. Each animal
appears to have a burrow by itself, and
to guard it jealousy from intrusion.
Some burrows are occupied exclusively
as storehouses and the rest as residences
for separate individuals. They fairly
honeycomb the soil in some regions,
making it dangerous for horses and men
to travel rapidly. The holes just admit
horses hoof, and the galloping over a
country where they abound is dangerous
in the extreme.
The gophers do not migrate, and it is
probable that they pass the winter in a
state of torpor. They spend the summer
accommodating a store of grass-seed,
which they carry in their cheek pouches
to their burrows. Though properly
graminivorous, the gopher is fond of
meat, and feeds freely in summer upon
slain buffaloes and other animals.
The voice of the gopher is sharp and
why, and pitched on high key. His
cry is single note repeated several
times. "Comical as gopher is in some
of his attitudes and motions" DR..
Cones remarks that "he never looks So
funny as when squeaking. He generally
gets down on all-fours to it, drops his
Jaw with a jerk, and squeezes out the
noise by drawing in his belly-it re.
minds one Of toy-dog.,".
The gopher is exceedingly timid, and
that he takes his life in his hands. Says
DR.. Cones "A thoroughly scared gopher
is the liveliest object in nature; mule
HSnhSrn 1,n 20
In comparison. He doubles up and opens
absurd little whisk of tail hoisted; and
once looking back is amazing. Safe home
be he never SO badly frightened, he will
stop to see what was the matter. He
pops bolt upright, stands stock still with
his fore paws dropped affectedly in from
of him, looks demurely around, ant
squeaks out Pooh! who's afraid?' al
plainly as possible. But let one come {
step nearer, and down he goes on al
and scolds, with back arched up, ready
for a dive. When he does finally duel
out of sight there is no mistaking hi!
meaning !; the suggestive flirt of his tail
the last thing seen, speaks volumes to
thoughtful observer.
but the prettiest of all the exhibi
tions gopher can make of himself j.
when he frames his profile in the rim Of
his burrow. Not seldom, after running
some little fellow to earth, have I stood
still Just by the hole, and confidently
waited for lis temperance. Presently
| hear q little scratching, perhaps .
squeak, and then see his head, turnet
roguishly to one side, to throw ont
bright, black eye full upon me, as if tt
ask what manner of creature may b.
to stand thus boldly at his door. He
looks as if he would like to invite me in
and then laugh at me for being too biz
and clumsy to enter.
I'm 1871 q lady, residing in an East
ern State, adopted an infant from thu
nursery on Randall's Island. This lady
recently died, and by the terms of heI
will she bequeaths to the boy, after pay
ing several legacies, the balance OF hel
property, amounting to about $5O, OOO
Until he becomes Of age the income Of
the property will be appropriated for hi'
support after which he will receive
81 600 . year until he IL thirty years o.
age, when the entire property falls to him
The child is now residing with respect
able family, and is reported as very brigh
! and healthy.