120 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
trench, at regular intervals of about fifty yards. The gopher 
frequently travels at night, and when he comes 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, falls 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 fulvus) 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 (Zhomomys 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 sufficiently 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 agilis); coast valleys 
south of San Francisco; twelve inches; lead-color. 
The Colorado jumping-rat (Perognathus penicillatus) ; Col- 
orado Desert; nine inches; tawny. 
The King’s River jumping-rat (Perognathus parvus) ; King’s 
River valley; four inches. 
Hudson’s jumping-mouse (Jaculus hudsonit); valley of Ca- 
noe Creek; eight inches; yellowish-brown. 3 
Black rat (Aus rattus); coast from Humboldt Bay to San 
