File:A biological survey of Colorado (1911) (20194215809).jpg

Title: A biological survey of Colorado
Identifier: biologicalsurvey33cary (find matches)
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Cary, Merritt, 1880-1918; United States. Bureau of Biological Survey
Subjects: Natural history Colorado; Mammals Colorado; Trees Colorado
Publisher: Washington : Government Printing Office
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

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1011.) MAMMATvS. 135 Blancliard, livin*^ 5 miles west of l>()nl(l(>r, discoxci-cd, ?> iiiclics Ix-low (\\(\ suTfjicc, a cnvily in wliicli a <i;();)li('7- liad a store of iicai'ly .")() li<i;er-lily ))iil))s, cvideiilly o;atli(T('d Hie ))Tevi()i:s fall. TJio cavity was iieaj'ly fidl and bulbs \vev(^ scattered tlir()ii<;l) looser earth, w liicli liad IxMMi tli()r()u<2;hly worked o\'er. A tninu'l le(l dii-ectly from tli(i caclH^ to tli(^ Ilovver ))ed a rod or so distant. Near (lolden this *^o;)li(T is said to make itself a miisanee l)y l)nrro\vin<^ in tlie 1)aid<s of irrio-ation ditches and reservoirs, and this is ))rol)ably true m other s(M'ti()ns alon^i; the lower ed(^e of its range. The numerous liills of (^arth and stones thrown uj) in hay meadows and grain lields dull the sickles of mowing and Jiarv(\sting machines. As an ofl'sc^t to the injury inflicted u))on agricultural inter- ests along the lower edge of its range, T. fossor is an impor- tant agent in the con- servation of forests and moisture in tlie higher mountains, where it is most abundant. The thor- ough and continual working and enrich- ing wdiich the soil re- ceives through the activities of gophers is highly beneficial to forest growth, and at the same time a large amount of moisture which would otherwise run off the mountain slopes is retained in the numerous burrows and underground tunnels which might properly be termed natural water traps. On the higher open mountain slopes, particularly above timber- Hne, one often sees peculiar long serpentine ridges of earth, some- times dry and hard packed, but more often partialh" disintegrated through the action of moisture. These are formed by gophers during the mnter when snow covers the ground to a considerable depth. The loose earth throw-n out is packed into the ramifying tunnels which the animal has made through the snow on the surface of the ground.
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