SCIUUIDJ3— CYNOMYS LUDOVICIANUS. 897 



'Dogs' in any portion of the Red River Basin, and the probability is that the 

 animal has made little if any settlement so far eastward in this latitude. I 

 found some small colonies, however, at various points in the Milk River 

 region, which may really be the limit of dispersion to the northward. The 

 most extensive establishment was in a tolerably fertile depression of the 

 prairie just east of Frenchman's or White Earth River, about lat. 48° 

 30', and not far from the mouth of Milk River. The owls, Speotyto hypogtea, 

 rattlesnakes, Crotalus conjluentus, and horned frogs, Plirynosoma douglassi, 



m 



are also inhabitants of the same area, though never seen in the Red River 

 water-shed. These four animals, and the Sage Cock, Centrocercus urophasi- 

 anus, are almost diagnostic of the Missouri Basin as distinguished from that 

 of the Red River." 



At the southward, according to Lieutenant Abert, as quoted by Audubon 

 and Bachman, this animal " does not hibernate, but is out all winter, as lively 

 and as pert as on any summer day". Gregg also states that he had good 

 authority for the statement that they are always abroad in winter during fine 

 weather. According to Lewis and Clarke, however, " as soon as the frost 

 commences, they shut themselves up in their caverns, and continue till the 

 spring opens''. Say also says that " they pass the winter in a lethargic sleep", 

 defending themselves from the inclemency of the season " by accurately 

 closing up the entrance of the burrow". This is doubtless a mistake, as, in 

 January, 1872, I met with them in Northwestern Kansas as active on bright 

 sunny days as in summer, they oidy retiring for a few days at a time during 

 the severest weather. Further northward, where the climate is more severe, 

 they are doubtless less active in winter than further southward, retiring to 

 their burrows for longer periods. 

 57 If 



