mammals of the Mexican boundary. 343 



were numerous about (hex 1 extensive "dog towns," and arc said to 

 destroy many of the young prairie-dogs. 



In wild regions the "prairie-dog," as this squirrel is universally 

 called, is devoid of shyness in the presence of man. As one rides 

 up to one of their so-called "villages" he is greeted on all sides by 

 the sharp " bark " of the "dogs," scores of whom may be seen seated 

 erect on tin 1 large mounds which they have thrown up around the 

 entrances to their burrows. I have seen two t roops of cavalry dis- 

 mount and open tire on them for several minutes without frightening 

 them into their burrows. The energy of their barking and accom- 

 panying bobbing motion of their bodies are amusing; hut, to the 

 weary traveler in the arid wastes usually occupied by these barking 

 squirrels, their incessant cries soon become wearisome, if not posi 

 tively a'nnoying, from the fancied challenge conveyed by their harsh 

 tones and insolent bearing. They sit straight up on their hinder 

 extremities and hark as loud as they possibly can until one rides 

 toward them, when they dropdown within the basin or depression at 

 the opening of their burrows, showing- only their head and shoulders. 

 There are often several burrows in each mound, and it is ;i common 

 sight to see the ••dogs" leap from one side of the mound to an entrance 

 on the opposite side, in which they disappear. They frequently keep 

 on barking as one approaches, but gradually recede within their bur- 

 rows until only the top of their flat heads, or the i'\\d of their noses, 

 is left exposed to view, finally disappearing entirely. When fright- 

 ened into their holes, some time usually elapses ere they regain suffi- 

 cient confidence to reappear; then a nose is cautiously raised to view, 

 its owner attunes its voice to the familiar strain, and is speedily joined 

 by the whole community. 



They are not disturbed by the building of a railroad across their 

 domains; on the contrary, the passing trains enliven their desert home 

 and beguile theii leisure hours. Some sit up and watch the locomo- 

 tive thundering by without becoming in the slightest degree discon- 

 certed thereby, evidently regarding it as a creation for their especial 

 entertainment; others, to whom the noise and smoke are as "an oft- 

 told tale." are -.praw ling Hat across the summit of their mounds, phleg- 

 matically enjoying the accustomed sun-bath, while some jump play- 

 fully up into the air as the tram rushes past them. 



The source whence the prairie-dog derives the water necessary 

 for its subsistence is a fruitful topic of discussion among frontiers 

 men. Some assert that it requires no water for drinking: others 

 maintaining that it digs deep- wells, some of which are recognizable 

 by the unusually large mounds about their entrances and the wet 

 tracks of the animals returned from drinking. Mr. Stewart Daniels 

 opines that prairie-dogs live only where there is good water, in sup- 



