WINTER SLEEP 



two or more of these peaceful little animals. The hillocks 

 are generally about six yards apart, and each one consists 

 of as much earth as would fill a very large wheelbarrow, 

 thrown up by the Cynomys when he digs out his sub- 

 terranean home. The dwelling has sometimes one and 

 sometimes two entrances, and there are well-worn paths 

 between the different habitations, so you can tell at a glance 

 that the animals are very friendly and sociable with one 

 another. Tn selecting a spot on which to establish a colony, 

 they choose one which is covered with short, coarse grass, 

 such as is found especially on the high tablelands, because 

 it is on this grass and upon various roots that the prairie- 

 marmots feed. 



On the tablelands ot New Mexico, where for miles you 

 will not find a drop of water unless you dig down into the 

 earth for a hundred feet or so, and where at certain seasons 

 there is no rain for several months, there are very large 

 colonies of prairie-marmots; hence it is quite clear that 

 these animals are able to live without drinking, and that 

 they can obtain enough moisture for their needs from a 

 heavy fall of dew. 



In the autumn the grass dries up and the ground soon 

 becomes frozen hard, so that digging is out of the question. 

 How is the Cynomys to obtain food ? He has laid up no 

 store, as some animals do, and apparently he must starve. 

 Not at all ! He just goes to sleep and remains asleep all 

 through the winter. About the end of October he begins 

 to grow drowsy, so he creeps into his burrow, blocks up the 

 openings in order to keep out the cold and make all snug, 

 and is seen no more until the following spring. The Indians 

 say that he sometimes opens up his house again before the 

 end of the cold weather, and that when he does so it is a 

 sure sign that warmer days are near at hand. 



