140 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



State wherever vegetation grows, from the seacoast to as high 

 in the mountains as sufficient soil to work in occurs, except in 

 land regularly subject to overflow. They are naturally most 

 abundant in rich loose soils. 



The food is principally the roots and succulent stems of 

 plants, such as garden vegetables generally, potatoes, alfalfa, etc., 

 as well as very many species of wild plants. The roots of fruit 

 trees are often eaten, though in large trees but a portion of the 

 the roots of any particular tree is eaten and the ill effects are not 

 as noticeable as with young trees. 



The burrows or runs are commonly less than a foot below 

 the surface, but vary with soil and season; as the object in dig- 

 ging the run is tO' find food it is naturally dug at the depth where 

 roots are most abundant. These runs are practically endless as 

 they are being extended daily, except perhaps in the dry season, 

 when comparatively little new work is done on account of the 

 hardness of the soil. In very few localities in this State are the 

 Gophers hindered by frozen soil, but in such places they work 

 deeper, or occasionally on the surface under the snow, these sur- 

 face runs being often filled with earth later, becoming very not- 

 iceable after the snow has melted. Openings to the surface arc 

 made at varying intervals for the purpose of getting rid of the 

 soil excavated in making the runs, the dirt being thrown out in 

 mounds containing a quart to a peck of earth. When the run 

 has been excavated an inconvenient distance beyond the last open- 

 ing that is closed and a new one made. These openings made 

 for the purpose of carrying out the loosened earth are started 

 at the side of the main run, gradually turning upward, and 

 come to the surface one or two feet at one side of the main 

 run. When abandoned these side runs are often packed full of 

 earth. 



The Gophers pass back and forth several times a day over 

 the newer part of the main run, probably spending their hours 

 of repose some distance from the new end of the burrow. In 

 some seasons they make a nest of dry grass, but in the warmer 



