SCIDUII)^— CYNOMY8 LUDOVICIANUa. 



H97 



'Dogs' in any portion of tiic lied River Basin, imd the prolmbility is Unit (lie 

 animal has made little it' any settlement so far eastward in tliis latitude. I 

 found some small colonies, however, at various points in the I^tiik Uiver 

 legion, which may really be tlie limit of dispersion to the northward. The 

 most extensive cstablisiimcnt was in a 'olcrably fertile depression of the, 

 prairie just east of Frenchman's or White Eartii lliver, alK)ut lat. 48° 

 30', and not far from the mouth of Milk River. The owls, Sprotyto /n/pngrra, 

 rattlesnakes, Crotalus conjluentus, and horned frogs, Pliryuosoma dnuglassi, 

 are also inhabitants of the same area, though never seen in the Red River 

 water-shed. These four animals, and tiie Sage Cock, Centrocercux urophasi- 

 anus, arc almost diagnostic of the Missouri Basin as distinguished from that 

 of the Red River." /. .\\ .... ,; , ,, . 



At the southward, according to Lieutenant Abert, as quoted by Audubon 

 and Bachman, this animal " does not hibernate, but is out all winter, as lively 

 and as pert as on any summer day". -Gregg also states that he had good 

 authority for the statement that they are always abroad in winter during fine 

 weather. According to Lewis and Clarke, however, " as soon as the frost 

 commences, they shut themselves up in their caverns, and continue till the 

 spring opens". Say also says that " tiiey pass the winter in a lethargic sleep", 

 defemiing themselves from the inclemency of the season " by accurately 

 closing up the entrance of the burrow". This is doubtless a mistake, as, in 

 January, 1872, I met with them in Northwestern Kansas as active on bright 

 sunny days as in summer, they only letiring for a few days at a time during 

 the severest weather. Further northward, where the climate is more severe, 

 they are doubtless less active in winter than further southward, retiring to 

 their bu rro ws for longer periods. " , 



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