MARMOTS. 8 1 



of sleep is considerably shortened, while the species in the extreme south remain 

 more or less active throughout the winter. The striped gopher seems to be more 

 decidedly carnivorous in its habits than the common suslik, devouring not only 

 field-voles and other mice, but also some of the smaller species of squirrels, which 

 cannot even live in a district abounding with gophers. Dr. Hoy states that, when 

 a squirrel is put into the same cage with a striped gopher, the latter " will in a 

 moment be all animation and activity, darting at the intruder, inflicting a wound, 

 and flying back with such rapidity as to leave but little chance of defence. As 

 soon as it has disabled its antagonist, it seizes it by the back of the neck and 

 instantly kills it." The gopher during the combat utters a low snarling growl, and 

 after the death of its victim feasts on the brain and blood. This gopher also 

 frequently robs hens' nests, while other species have been detected in carrying off 

 young chickens and turkeys. More remarkable is the circumstance that Richardson's 

 gopher (S. richardsoni) was formerly in the habit of feeding on the flesh of the 

 innumerable carcases of bison left by the hunters on the prairies. 



Writing of the habits of Parry's suslik (S. empetra), from the neighbourhood 

 of Hudson Bay and Behring Strait, a species closely allied to Eversmann's suslik 

 of Siberia, Sir J. Richardson observes that " it is found generally in stony districts, 

 but seems to delight chiefly in sandy hillocks amongst rocks, where burrows, in- 

 habited by different individuals, may be often observed crowded together. One of 

 the society is generally observed sitting erect on the summit of the hillock, whilst 

 the others are feeding in the neighbourhood. Upon the approach of danger, he 

 gives the alarm, and they instantly betake themselves to their holes, remaining 

 chattering, however, at the entrances, until the advance of the enemy obliges them 

 to retire to the bottom." 



THE PRAIRIE-MARMOTS. 

 Genus Cynomys. 



In addition to being the home of several species of true marmots akin to 

 those of the Old World, North America also possesses a closely allied, but 

 somewhat more specialised genus of Rodents, which may be designated prairie- 

 marmots, although they are often most inappropriately termed prairie-dogs, while 

 they are likewise known as barking squirrels. In size these animals hold a 

 position intermediate between the susliks and the true marmots. They have small 

 ears, and generally short tails, while their cheek -pouches are much less capacious 

 than those of the susliks. In their fore-feet the first toe is well developed and 

 furnished with a claw nearly as large as that of the fifth. The skull is massive, 

 with the large postorbital processes directed nearly outwards (as shown in the 

 figure on p. 66) ; and the molar teeth are very stout, with three grooves on their 

 grinding-surfaces, in place of the two characterising those of the other two genera 

 of the group. A further peculiarity in connection with the upper molar teeth, is 

 that the two series, in place of running nearly parallel, are convergent behind. 



There are three species of prairie-marmots, two of which are confined to the 

 prairies of the Rocky Mountain plateau, while the third inhabits Mexico. The 

 common prairie-marmot (Cynomys ludovicianus) is confined to the drier districts 



VOL. in. 6 



