CHAP. IX. SOCIABILITY OP QUADRUPEDS. 281 



the animals form themselves into little foraging parties, 

 and may frequently be seen, in autumn, on the sides of 

 grassy hills, cutting hay, <f which is regularly carried 

 to their burrows, either as food, or as a lining to their 

 dwellings." While a party of them are thus employed, 

 a sentinel keeps vigilant watch upon an adjoining emi- 

 nence, who, on the first approach of an enemy, gives an 

 alarm to the rest of the party by a shrill whistle, which 

 may be heard at a great distance ; and, that all may par- 

 ticipate in the warning, ' ' this signal of alarm is repeated 

 from one to another as far as their habitations extend." 

 In these little animals, the social principle of mutual 

 enjoyment is not only developed, but a regard is mani- 

 fested for the welfare and safety of each other. The 

 villages of the short-tailed marmot of the same regions 

 {Arctomys brachyurus}, according to Lewis and Clark, 

 on the plains of Columbia, sometimes occupy 200 

 acres of land. The burrows, like separate houses, are 

 distinct; each containing, upon an average, from ten to 

 twelve inhabitants : the entrances to these are by three 

 or four distinct holes, in the centre of which is a hillock 

 about two feet high ; this is used as a watch tower, 

 upon which one of the family takes its station as sen- 

 tinel, while the rest are employed in gathering food for 

 the mutual benefit of all.* The wood chuck (Arctomys 

 monax} is another of those social marmots which form 

 villages in the sides of hills ; the burrows extend to 

 great distances under ground, and terminate in several 

 chambers, inhabited by different members of the same 

 family. In short, it will be needless to particularise 

 further instances of the social disposition of this family, 

 since it is more or less prevalent in nearly every species. 

 The prairie dogs of Lewis and Clarke (the genus Cy- 

 nomys of Rafinesque) construct their burrows in large 

 clusters, resembling villages, and they are so called by 

 the hunters ; and these villages sometimes cover an ex- 

 tent of many miles. But the common rabbit of this 

 country is one of the best examples we can have to. 



* North. Zool. voli . p. 152. 



