. Control of field rodents in California. Rodents; Mammals. 26 California Agricultural Extension Circular 138 POCKET GOPHERS Pocket gophers (genus Thomomys; fig. 9) are stout-bodied and short-legged, with blunt heads, conspicuous incisor teeth, and external, fur-lined cheek pouches for carrying food. They have brownish coats, small eyes and ears, short, nearly naked tails, and somewhat heavy claws on the front feet. The head and body usually measure 6 to 8 inches; the tail is 3 to 4 inches long. Although pocket gophers and moles dif- fer in both structure and mode of work, their workings are s
. Control of field rodents in California. Rodents; Mammals. 26 California Agricultural Extension Circular 138 POCKET GOPHERS Pocket gophers (genus Thomomys; fig. 9) are stout-bodied and short-legged, with blunt heads, conspicuous incisor teeth, and external, fur-lined cheek pouches for carrying food. They have brownish coats, small eyes and ears, short, nearly naked tails, and somewhat heavy claws on the front feet. The head and body usually measure 6 to 8 inches; the tail is 3 to 4 inches long. Although pocket gophers and moles dif- fer in both structure and mode of work, their workings are sometimes confused. The mole (fig. 16; pages 37-39) differs from the pocket gopher in the shape of the head, the color of the coat, and especi- ally in having large front feet with stout , and 17) show important differences be- tween their methods of work and in the appearance of the tunnel openings and the earth piles around the tunnels. Differences between the surface work- ings of the two are described on pages 37-38. Pocket gophers are second only to ground squirrels in total damage to the agriculture of California. They are most troublesome in the areas that are intensively culti- vated, and in the more fertile soils. Effective control will far reduce their numbers and the damage they do. claws. The illustrations (figs. 10, w â *..>,. -v>< "7M = Fig. 9.âPocket gopher. Distinctive features are the blunt head, prominent incisor teeth, fur-lined cheek pouches on either side of the mouth, slender claws on the fore- feet, and scantily haired tail. The head-and-body length is about 6 to 8 inches, and the tail 3 to 4 inches. Compare with figure 16. Pocket gophers are distributed over almost all of California and inhabit practically all but very rocky soil; they are most abundant in the better soils. There are more than 40 species and varieties of these animals in California, but their habits and the methods for their control are essentially the same. The population
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