Sporobolus cryptandrus strictus 5,455
Salsola pestifer 295
-----
Total 5,750

Two species represented. The heads of _Sporobolus cryptandrus strictus_
are retained to a great extent within the leaf sheaths. This
necessitates the cutting of the stems into suitable lengths for
carrying, and the stored material appears to be merely cut sections of
the stems. Close examination, however, discloses the heads within, and
shows that as in other instances seed storage is the end sought. These
pieces are packed beautifully parallel like so many matches, and vary
from a minimum length of 20 to a maximum of 37 millimeters, averaging
about 30. Count of 2 grams of the above _Sporobolus_ material shows that
there are 125 separate cut sections per gram, or a total of
approximately 680,000 pieces in this one lot of storage, indicating a
remarkable activity on the part of the individual rat (Pl. VIII, Fig.
1).


[Illustration: PLATE VII. FIG. 1.--DEN EXCAVATED ON RANGE RESERVE.

Vertical section through Den No. 1, of Table 1 (p. 20), showing the
complex system of burrows, some of them plugged with closely packed
storage (outlined in white), the depth of the den, and the widened
chambers centrally located.]

[Illustration: PLATE VII. FIG. 2.--CONTENT OF EXCAVATED DEN.

Storage content of Den No. 1 (Fig. 1, above), showing the separate