216 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



There were thousands of these holes, each with 

 its dog. One near-by dog sat up on his mound 

 like a ten-pound sea lion. He watched us with 

 concentrated attention. His tongue and tail 

 were still. When my hat started toward him 

 he simply dropped into the hole. There were 

 scattered holes which had a rabbit or two little 

 owls at its doorway. Throughout the town 

 were little orchards of dwarfed sagebrush and 

 a scattering of tall weeds. A showy bed of 

 prickly pear cactus inside the town limits was 

 not inhabited. 



The prairie dog is a sun worshipper. He keeps 

 aloof from localities where willows are an enemy- 

 hiding screen and where trees cast a shadow. 

 His populous cities are in arid lands where for 

 three hundred days each year they have their 

 place in the sun. 



The dogs seemed to be ever moving about, 

 visiting or barking. A young dog near me 

 ambled over to visit another. These two called 

 on a third and while in session were joined by 

 one's, two's, and companies until there were 

 several dozen massed. 



A young dog left his hole-top after a survey 

 and started off for a call. But he turned aside 

 to join and mingle with the crowd for a minute 

 or two, then went on with his call. All this 

 time there were several dogs behind me energeti- 



