The Days of a Man 



D898 



Burroiving 

 owl 



life of the plateau which, at a general elevation of 

 6000 feet, extends from near the Rio Grande west- 

 ward across the broad Continental Divide to the 

 The Grand Canyon of the Colorado. About Acoma as 



frame dog giscwhere, especially to the eastward, "prairie- 

 dog towns" are much in evidence. Cynomys is of 

 course not a dog, but a large, squirrel-like, short- 

 tailed beastie with the queer habit of spending 

 much of the day sitting erect, as if on guard, at the 

 mouth of his burrow. Notwithstanding this watch- 

 fulness, however, his hole is sadly infested by the 

 Burrowing Owl and the Rattlesnake, evil boarders 

 who devour the young of their hosts and drive the 

 latter out of house and home. 



The little, long-legged " Burrowing Owl" — Speo- 

 tyto — with a shrill yet plaintive call suggesting 

 that of the whippoorwill, is a characteristic feature 

 of the arid West, almost as much so as the Road 

 Runner — Geococcyx — the omnipresent wraith of 

 cactus and chaparral. 



The rattler — Crotalus atrox — the second un- 

 invited guest, is still less welcome than the owl. 

 During our walk about the foot of Katzimo, we 

 frequently caught sight of a snake coiled in the 

 entrance of a dog hole. Accordingly we drew a 

 big one out in the usual way by employing a hooked 

 umbrella handle. Pinning it down with a notched 

 stick behind its head, Lummis then seized it by 

 the nape of the neck and held it before a camera, 

 his face carved by mingled emotions, a study in 

 physiognomy. 



Leaving "Wonderland" behind us, we returned to 

 Laguna, whence we made next morning a short 



C 6363 



An 



astonished 

 rattlesnake 



