30 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



The appearance of the neotomas is always 

 such as to arouse our interest. With their big, 

 batlike ears, their super-prominent, big, black 

 eyes, their gentle, rabbit-like faces and sleek 

 coats, they impress themselves upon us as 

 being really beautiful creatures. 



The neotomas are confined to the North 

 American continent and are most plentiful in 

 the Southern and Western United States. Dr. 

 Mearns found as many as thirteen species and 

 subspecies along the Mexican boundary alone. 

 With the rattlesnake, the road-runner, and the 

 burro, they find a chief and constant place in 

 the narrative conversation engaged in around 

 miner's camp-fires, and it is surprising that 

 such alert, mischievous, and interesting crea- 

 tures should have found so little place in 

 Western literature. 



According to their environment they differ 

 in their methods of building their nests. Those 

 living in the deserts and scantily treed regions 

 generally select sites beneath rocks or in the 

 vicinity of cactuses or other thorny vegetation 

 where they find some natural protection from 

 the ravages of their natural enemies, the coy- 



