AV THE FAR WEST. 401 



tog-ether in the most perfect harmony. They seem moved by 

 one common impulse, and that, as a rule, is to dig up the 

 ground as rapidly as possible. The result is that the region 

 adjoining their village is honeycombed in every direction, and 

 is covered with a mass of dead vegetation, for they do not 

 spare the root or bark of anything green that they can devour 

 or destroy. They are persistent seekers after food, and such 

 articles as they do not immediately dispose of they store away 

 in their labyrinthine cellars. This acquisitive talent causes 

 them to uproot a large tract of country in a short time ; and 

 when they exhaust the resources of one section, they move to 

 another. According to Indian tales, they migrate only at 

 night, and, in a few minutes after having chosen an encamp- 

 ment, they have their houses ready for occupation. They first 

 dig a shallow passage, then come to the surface, and work 

 down again. This system of mining is evidently intended to 

 relieve them of the necessity of forcing or carrying the exca- 

 vated dirt out of the burrow, so that they seem to have a good 

 idea of the economy of labour. All their movements being, 

 as a rule, performed underground, a study of their habits is 

 rather difficult, unless a large amount of time and patience is 

 wasted. They are so cautious about moving out of their 

 burrows, that it is only after they have carefully reconnoitred 

 their surroundings that they even presume to drink from the 

 rivulet near their village. 



Their mode of felling shrubs and trees is to cut away at the 

 roots, and when the object of their attention is prostrate, all 

 work with a keen activity, as the share of each is only limited 

 by its power to carry it away. The camass (Camassia eseu- 

 lenla}, which grows extensively on the prairies, and is used as 

 an article of food by the Indians, seems to possess great 

 attractions for the showtl, and it is consequently looked on by 

 the red men as an impertinent rival. The result of this 

 enmity or rivalry is apt to be prejudicial to the longevity of 

 the rodent; for the Indian considers a dinner of roast camass 

 bulbs and showtl meat a feast fit for a Ca>sar, and he takes 

 every opportunity of enjoying it. 



This little animal seems to be inditlerent to the lopograpliieal 



i d 



