" DOG-TOWN " 



looking animal with immense ears, which lives in the 

 deserts of North Africa. 



Like the fox, the fennec makes a burrow ; this is usually 

 situated in the neighbourhood of one of those patches of 

 low-growing, tough plants of which the vegetation of the 

 desert consists, for in such places the sand is more coherent, 

 and the animals 1 tunnels and chambers are therefore less 

 likely to fall in. The passages are generally quite near to 

 the surface ; the den, but little deeper, is lined with hair, 

 feathers, and shreds of vegetable substance, and is always 

 kept remarkably clean. The fennec burrows with great 

 rapidity, its fore feet working away so quickly that it is by 

 no means easy to follow their movements. No doubt this 

 extraordinary skill in excavating often saves the animal's 

 life, for when pursued it appears to sink into the earth, dis- 

 appearing in an incredibly short time. 



During the day the fennec remains in its burrow sleeping 

 with its head buried under the thick bushy tail. But its 

 great ears remain exposed, and the slightest sound is enough 

 to arouse its attention ; when thus disturbed it whimpers like 

 a little child to show its displeasure. At nightfall the animal 

 leaves its snug burrow and sets out for the drinking places. 



The Prairie-dog (Cynomys\ or Prairie-marmot as it is 

 more properly called (it is not really a dog at all, but a 

 kind of squirrel), lives on the prairies, those great grassy 

 plains of North America, in numerous companies or colonies. 

 The animals make little mounds of earth, and you always 

 find a great many of these in one locality, which is known 

 amongst the people of the country as a " dog-town. " Let 

 us see what sort of place a dog-town is. 



To have any real idea how extensive it may be, you must 

 have travelled for days together through country which is 

 dotted over with mounds, every one of which is the home of 



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