144 PRAIRIE-DOGS. 



the others emerge from their houses and begin to frisk about 

 as usual. 



The holes of these curious creatures are shared by two 

 very different species of guests, one of which, at all events, 

 must prove most unwelcome. One of these is a little owl, 

 which may be seen sitting in front of the burrows or flying 

 about near the ground ; or, when the sun sinks low, hopping 

 through the town, and picking up the lizards and chameleons 

 which everywhere abound. He can apparently do no harm 

 to the inhabitants, if he fails to benefit them. The other 

 inmates are rattlesnakes, who, regardless of any objections 

 which may be raised by the dogs, take possession of their 

 holes, and when the sun shines lie coiled up at their sides, 

 now and then erecting their treacherous heads and rattling 

 an angry note of warning, should a thoughtless pup by any 

 chance approach too near. The Indians suppose that all three 

 creatures live on the most friendly footing ; but as the rattle- 

 snakes when killed have frequently been found with the 

 bodies of the little prairie-dogs in their insides, their object 

 in establishing themselves in the locality seems very evident. 



The poor little dog, indeed, leads a life of constant alarm, 

 with numerous enemies ever on the watch to surprise him. 

 Hawks and eagles, hovering high in air, often pounce down 

 and carry off unfortunate members of the community in their 

 powerful talons. The savage cayote, or prairie-wolf, when 

 pressed by hunger during the winter, frequently attacks the 

 dome-shaped habitation of the little animal, and with claws 

 and teeth tears to pieces the walls, plunging his nose into the 

 passage which he has opened, and working his way down till 

 he seizes the trembling little inmate, who in vain retreats to 

 the inmost recesses of his abode. 



