CHAPTER XI. 



FERRETS AND GROUND SQUIRRELS, GOPHERS, 

 PRAIRIE DOGS. 



CHE English sparrow, which was brought to 

 America from Europe, seems to be a pest 

 with no redeeming qualities whatever. 

 How unlike the sparrow is the ferret, 

 which also came to this country from Europe. 

 East of the Misp'ssippi river they have been used 

 to hunt rabbits ever since reaching this side of 

 the Atlantic. Shortly after 1900 ferrets were 

 used with some success on certain fur animals, 

 more especially skunk and mink. Throughout 

 much of the West, which in a general way will 

 here be defined as that portion of the country 

 west of the Mississippi river as well as parts of 

 Canada, ground squirrels, gophers and prairie 

 dogs are not only a nuisance, but quite a pest to 

 various interests. 



In the earlier accounts of the prairie dog 

 most writers had rattlesnakes and owls inhabit- 

 ing same burrows. While owls and rattlesnakes 

 inhabit same region and sometimes take refuge 

 in the dens of prairie dogs they do not all live 

 harmonious as some writers, who know little or 



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