PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 19 



mountains, is a small horse which llic Indians take and use 

 under their rudely made saddles. The prairie wolf is very 

 numerous. At about ten miles from Jackson County seat, 

 on the travelled mail road to Dubuque, and fifteen miles from 

 this last, the writer once passed seven of these animals in 

 company, at another time three. The panther is occasionally 

 seen. The lynx more frequently. Of these, the writer once 

 saw three at a time. There arc some badgers. The raccoon 

 is very numerous ; and, next to the wolf, most destructive to 

 tlie domestics of the farm-yard. Bears, and some cats are 

 found in parts of the country. The rabbit is very abundant. 

 Foxes do not inhabit, so far as known to the writer, any part 

 of this country. The skunk is not often met. In grounds 

 appropriate to their residence, the muskrat are abundant. 

 The gophar is an animal very singular in his appearance. 

 He is twice the size of a common rat, mouse-colored, having 

 a large pouch on either side of the head. His feeble bark or 

 squeal may sometimes be heard in riding along the prairie, 

 which is very closely studded Avith his conical house-top, 

 standing above the surface, much resembling ant-hills. All 

 the varieties of squirrels inhabit here, and there is a field 

 mouse of a larger size than the common animal of that name 

 in the eastern part of the continent. The weasel is occasion- 

 ally found, and there is a small animal, striped like the little 

 striped sciuirrel, living in the prairie, having a long body and 

 tail and very short legs, which is commonly known there as 

 the prairie squirrel, though I think he is of the weasel tribe, 

 having more resemblance to this animal in form th;ui to the 

 squirrel. This creature and the gophar are very destructive 

 to the corn-fields, and compel the farmer frequently to plant 

 his corn twice and three times. 



The wild turkey is found in great numbers on the wooded 

 bottom lands ; the prairie hen is frequently seen by hundreds 



