Engels 1935 Stockton, San Joaquin Co. California Byron, Contra Costa Co., May 10, 1935 (cont.) larger. Around Sacramento I had almost always to enlarge the burrows to get the traps in; but there near Stockton are big enough so that I can put my whole hand in. - Leaving these traps we went to Byron, in Contra Costa County, about 20 mi. W Stockton. Between Stockton & Byron are the Old & Middle Rivers, & the San Joaquin River, around which is a long stretch of low, marshy and peaty land, in which we saw no gopher diggings. Ruff-wing Blackbirds were extremely numerous all along this road. About 1/2 mi. N Byron we found many diggings along the road, & set out some traps. I put out 4 sets. These diggings were all in a very hard, black dirt (adobe?) in which were mixed numerous angular rocks. It was tough work digging out the holes, for us; -these must be tough gophers. Like the Stockton burrows, they were of quite large diameter. In the mounds, & in the plugged up entrances, I found much cut vegetation, some quite fresh. When any of this showed on top of the mound, I found I could locate the burrow easily by following it down. - We went back to Stockton & looked at our traps. Mine were not touched- Sprinkle got 1 gopher. I pulled up one of my doubles+ reset, so that I now have 5 sets there, & 4 sets near Byron - mine sets to leave out for the night. Tonight was spent skinning; I put up three skins. Sprinkle put up 2 skins & cleaned a skull.