AN ANIMAL THAT LIVES WITHOUT DRINKING 203 



keep those industrious diggers from spreading far beyond the 

 limits fixed for them and seriously damaging walks and lawns, 

 so they were finally caught by placing sand in boxes over their 



PRAIRIE-" DOGS." 



burrows, and transferred to the village, whose walls of solid 

 masonry go down to bed-rock. 



Some plainsmen claim that these interesting little crea- 

 tures are able to locate their towns away from streams be- 

 cause they burrow down until they strike water, but Dr. 

 Merriam points out the fact that in some regions they live 

 where the nearest veins of artesian-well water are 1,000 feet 

 below the surface. As a matter of fact they can live without 

 drinking. 



