Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-10
THE LIVING DREDGE.
Queer Ways of That Interesting Lit
tie Animal, the Pocket Gopher.
youths Companion.)

l1oulnS IOinpduiOH)
A human being who should possess
dwelling half a mile long would be con-
sldered very important parsonage b.
his fellows; but he would have, at that,
an abode only one-half as long as the
dwelling which is often constructed by
very little animal-the creature called the
pocket gopher in the West and the
"salamander" in the South a report on
this little creature recently issued by the
United States States Department Of Ag-
riculture declares that the burrows dug
by a single animal would, II Strengthened
out, in many cases measure more than
a mile
The pocket gopher digs as long as he
lives, extending his burrow from year 10
year. lie digs all summer, and generally
all winter for he does not hibernate.
lie is probably the completest mechanical.
digger i'm existence. All his life Is passed
under ground, except when, for an IN
slant on rare occasions, he energies into
the air to push load of earth from
freshly opened hole. But he yanishes be-
low the earth so quickly that he can
hardly be said TO be seen al all.
Except for one month in the year,
the mating season, all pocket gophers
live an entirely solitary life; and, Ike
most other hermits they are OF an eN-
tremely surly disposition. They will fight
viciously on all occasions and they have
a remarkably formidable weapon in their
long. sharp front teeth.
They are OF all living creatures the
ones most perfectly adapted TO digging
in the ground. They are short legged
thick set, almost reckless, without Vlsi-
Bile ears. and with extremely small eyes.
In no al nth thew their
long and powerful front teeth as pick to
loosen the ground. At the same time the
fore feet. which are armed with long,
curved ciaws-the side OF the toes oeinB
lined In turn with bristles which prevent
the dirt from passing between theyl-are
hard at work In digging and In pressing
the dirt back under the body. There the
hind feet take il and push 1t further
back.
When earth enough has been aecumu-
lated behind the gopher he wnirls ABOUT,
and by bringing his wrists together uIiuer
the chin. with the palms OF the hands
hafd vertically he pushes the earth out in
front. g..
He will move packard as rapidly as Tor
ward. and can push dirt either way. his
movement in digging often seems as Iapiu
and automatic as that OF a shuttle.
rxceot in times OF deep frost the Dur-
rows are seldom more than a root uhusi-
ground. and generally about inenes. Inc
oonber Is In pursuit of roots of all KINDS
grass roots. tree roots. potatoes, ana otner
tubers. He is Immensely destructive !"
crops, and one gopher has been known "
pnaw away the roots OF tree 80 CUM
pletely that the tree viii topple over IN
slight wind and fall nat.
This Is not hard to understand after we
a
Denartment OF Agriculture assure US. thAt
a nocket gopher can make 20 complete
strokes with his teeth in minute. lt5
Jaws are so arranged that thirty -eiBnt
distinct single cuts are made by the lot
ward stroke OF the Jaw ana twenty -eisii.
nv the backward stroke. Thus, as Will
he seen the little creatures jaws may
make a grand total OF 1920 cuts minute
wnen in active operation!
The nockat gopher-the name Is applied
IN several species OF the Geomys ulDf-
is. indeed so destructive that IN MANY
parts OF the West bounties are oHerou
for its determination. one Iowa county
Maid $4,000 In such bounties In a single
ysar without an appreciable reduction
of the animals ravages. ms represents
a destruction OF 10000 gophers.
Al intervals. seldom more than Few
rods apart. and often within a few rect
the rocket gopher comes TO the surface
IN throw up a little bill OF dirt, but tne
onenirg which he makes Is closed oy
heinx packed so full of dirt that no trace
~ the tunnel is visible except the little
mound. ...
The gopher goes on digging In winter
"a well as IN summer. but il the frost
nrsvsnts him from coming TO the surface
=. usas a cross section Of his tunnel,
INF, which to pack the earth which he
has dug for his new excavations These
tightly-packed cylinders OF earth are OFTEN
turned up by the farmers plough.
II, by inadventure, the pocket gopher
leaves an exit open, the bull snake Is
vsrv ant 20 enter; and II he docs the
eonher's death Is certain. He Is covered