156 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



"The prairie dogs feed upon grass and herbage, 

 which is soon exhausted near the burrows, compelling 

 the animals to go farther and farther away for food. 

 This they dislike to do, as it exposes them to attack 

 from enemies; and after a time they prefer to dig a 

 new burrow nearer a supply of food. Thus a 'town' 

 is always spreading and contains many empty bur- 

 rows. Like other animals habituated to desert re- 

 gions, they do not drink at all. . . . The animals 

 are diurnal and most active morning and evening. 

 They come out daily during the winter, except when 

 it is very stormy; but this practice varies with the 

 latitude and climate. 



"They are prolific, especially in the southern half 

 of their territory, and would multiply with excessive 

 rapidity were it not for numerous enemies, especially 

 rattlesnakes and other serpents. These are coura- 

 geously resisted by the prairie dogs, who sound the 

 alarm the moment a snake enters a hole, gather, and 

 proceed to fill the entrance with earth, packing it 

 down, thereby sometimes entombing the snake for- 

 ever. Probably few snakes go down the passages, 

 which are so steep they could with difficulty climb 

 out, but depend upon lying hidden in the grass and 

 striking down the young squirrels when out at play 

 or in search of food. This is the method of the 

 coyote, kit-fox, wildcat, hawks, and owls, who find 

 the dog-towns a profitable hunting-ground. Badgers, 

 however, can, if they will, easily dig up a burrow 

 and devour the helpless family. The worst enemy is 

 the black-footed ferret, a weasel of the plains, which 



