—65— 
hill, again toward the river. From the top of the 
hill we saw in the western distance the Black Hills, 
a chain of mountains we must cross later on. 
Near the Platte I saw on this occasion for the first 
time a so-called prairie-dog village. Single dwellings 
of this strange animal we had already observed on 
the South Fork; but here we had a whole colony be- 
fore us, and also got a look at some of the shy in- 
habitants. ‘The prairie dog (prairie marmot, Arc- 
tomys Ludovicianus, Ord), resembles the hamster 
of Europe, and elntees to the same genus. He is six- 
teen inches long; the hair yellowish-brownish-reddish; 
the head broad; the ears short; the body stout, the 
hairy tail about two inches long. The five toes on 
each foot are of very unequal length. This animal 
digs itself holes underground. The earth thrown out 
forms toward the exterior a firm round wall. The 
funnel-shaped entrance is one or two hands broad. 
For a foot it runs perpendicularly down; then ob- 
liquely inward and downward. Such dwellings, at 
moderate space from each other, can be seen spread 
over an area of several acres, or even miles. That is 
called a village. Hundreds, even thousands of these 
animals live in this way neighborly together. In fair 
weather they come out of their holes to sun them- 
selves; squat quaintly on their hind legs, and utter a 
sharp, twittering sound. At man’s approach they 
raise a fiercer cry, wagging their short tails withal, 
as if prepared for serious combat. If one comes near- 
er, however, they withdraw into their holes, at most 
coormay. up 
e North 
Forks The 
Prairie Dog 
—Fort 
Laramie 
