120 PwESOUKCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



trench, at regular intervals of about fifty yards. The gopher 

 frequently travels at night, and when he conies to this trench 

 he falls in. He then runs along in it, looking for a convenient 

 place to get out, and, coming to a tin box, lalls into that. He 

 can neither jump out nor gnaw through ; so he remains a pris- 

 oner till he starves to death, or the farmer comes along and 

 kills him. 



The Colorado gopher [Thomomys fulmis) is found in that 

 portion of the state south of latitude 34°, but is not abundant. 

 It is smaller than the Californian gopher, and has more of a 

 reddish tinge in its colors. Its habits and appearance other- 

 wise are very similar to those of its northern congener. 



The broad-headed gopher [Thomomys laticeps)^ found in 

 the vicinity of Humboldt Bay, is about five inches long. Its 

 color on the back, sides, and belly, is yellowish-brown, with a 

 reddish tinge between the fore legs. 



§ 92. The Rat Family. — California has a number of indi- 

 genous jumping-rats, jumping-mice, and other rats and mice, 

 too many and not sufiiciently singular, or interesting to the 

 general reader, to deserve a complete description here. I 

 shall content myself, therefore, with giving a simple list of 

 them, with the districts they inhabit, their entire length from 

 the point of the nose to the end of the tail, and the main color 

 of the back : 



Philip's jerboa, or jumping-rat [Dipodomys philipi) ; Sac- 

 ramento Basin and the southern valleys ; twelve inches ; yel- 

 lowish-brown. 



The dun jumping-rat {Dipodomys ay His) ; coast valleys 

 south of Saa Francisco ; twelve inches ; lead-color. 



The Colorado j umping-rat [Perognathus 2)erdcillatus) ; Col- 

 orado Desert ; nine inches ; tawny. 



The King's River jumping-rat [Peroynathus pa7^vus) ; King's 

 River valley ; four inches. 



Hudson's jumping-mouse {Jacidiis Jiudsonii) ; valley of Ca- 

 noe Creek; eight inches; yellowish-brown. 



Black rat {Mas rattus) ; coast from Humboldt Bay to San 



