40 ITNITED STATES AND MEXICAN BOUNDARY. 



shower ; some swam to tie high fifround, many were drowned, and not a few fell a prey to the coyote. Several were taken alive 

 and kept a month ; tise^ were fed on pursely, of which they ate voraciously ; they also drank water freely. Moot of the time, 

 however, they lay on their bellies in a sort of stupor, with their nose and feet drawn together. A prairie dog is alwajs fat ; 

 and, under some circumstances, may be considered good eating; which, being deposited in a comparative great quantity 

 between the skin and muscle, rerders the skinning a tedious operation. Their burrows, at first either nearly perpendicular or 

 slightly inclined for a few feet, lead off in various directions ; their extent I was never able to ascertain. Haifa dozen or more 

 will at times run into the same burrow ; yet they will pass, even when hotly pursued, very eligible habitations externalljr, 

 showing, though eminently socil, that each has his own house. In all discussions cf the prairie dog it has been universally 

 associated with the owl and the rattlesnake, and for no very good reason that I see. The rattlesnake is found in other locali- 

 ties just as abundant as in dog towns ; and if one is seen in or about a burrow, a close examination is very apt to disclose a 

 spider's web across the entrance, indicating that the rightful occupant has been frightened off or devoured. The owl is undoubt- 

 edly an interloper, using its neighbor's house as a convenience, and possibly feeding upon its young ; its proximity, however, 

 gives the dog no uneasiness, and both inhabit the same burrow at the same time." — (J. H. Clark.) 



" This interesting little animal, about which so much has already been written, and its habits so closely studied and accurately 

 described by many naturalists^ never fails to attract the attention of every traveller on the western prairies ; and an approach 

 to one of their settlements, afcer long and dreary marches, U always hailed with delight aa a pleasant change from the monotony 

 of lifeless scenes to one of cheerful activity and motion. Such occasions never fail to excite a certain degree of pleasure In 

 every one, as he watches the motions of tbese curious creatures aa they at first assemble in numbers as if in grave consultation 

 in regard to the intrusion of strangers upon their quiet domain, and, upon the too near approach of apparent danger, suddenly 

 the assembly is dispersed, each one retiring to his respective home, and, standing upon the edge of his den, utters his peculiar 

 bark, as if in defiance ; and then every one disappears suddenly, and every voice is hushed when a fiingle gun is discharged. 



*' These settlements or *dog towns/ as they are called, are of frequent occurrence between Devil's river, of Texas, and the 

 Eio Grande, some of them coveing many miles of country. West of the latter stream we observed them as far as the Sierra 



Madre. We visited the San Luis valley in the month of May, where there was a very large extent of country covered with 

 their burrows. Here we procured a young one, which was probably a week or two old. We were attracted to it by a low 

 whining noise which it made, not unlike that of a very young kitten. It was found on the surface, and was so young and feeble 

 that it did not attempt to escape when approached. Having taken it to the camp, we placed it with a bitch, which had pupped 

 but a few days before. By holding it in our hands it sucked with great earnestness, and we much hoped thus to be enabled to 

 rear it and tame it; but after some days it sickened, and, refusing to take farther nourishment, soon died. Afcer leaving this 

 valley, in travelling westward, we did not again observe the 'prairie dog.' " — (Dr. Kennerly ) 



The prairie dog of the ^ Americans ; pernio del campo of the Mexican; ilai of tJte Apaches. — This singular animal is known to 

 all western travellers, but there are some features in its history still left to be elucidated. Do they wander, and, if so, is 

 it in a certain direction? If they remain stationary, what do they live on? Are the rattlesnake and the smaller ground-owl 

 {Aihine hypugaea) constant house-mates of the prairie dog? If so, what object makes such heterogenous animals live together ? 



There are not yet enough data on record to answer these questions conclusively; on the contrary, every attempt to do 

 so proves only how little we know about them. That the dog towns Bkould be entirely permanent seems to be an entire 

 impossibility, for the destruction of vegetation, which such a marmot settlement causes all around, is so complete that nothing 

 is left within the limits of it on which these animals could depend for any length of time. 



**From what I have seen of these marmot settlements, I believe that, after one stretch of soil is used up, an adjacent 

 portion on either side is taken possession of- The social character of the animal causes this to be done en masse, and thus the 

 town will be extended in gome direction. It seems not probable bat the prairie dogs abandon their settlement entirely ; this is 

 at least not corroborated by careful examination. Their burrows are the only defense these animals have, and therefore they 

 never dare leave them at a great distance. They want their holes aear by where they feed. Long drought and sterility favor 

 the extension of their towns." — (A. Schott.) 



38. CASTOR CANADENSIS, Kunl (p. 355.)— American Beaver. 



This well known species was found in abundance on the Eio Grande of Texas and the Colorado 

 river of California. 



1337. Colorado Bottom, Cal. A. Schott.— 1003. Upper Rio Grande. J. H. Clark.— 1415. 

 Matamoras, Mex. Dr. Berlandiere. Skull. 



The heaver ; pen of the Yumas; pin of the Cocapas.— The abundance of this species on the Gila, but especially on the Colorado 

 del Oeste, makes it a very prominent feature in the fauna of the country. Oq a'reconnoiaance down the latter river to its mouth, 

 we passed miles and miles of river banks, which are inhabited, fortified, and covered over by the labor of this singular animal. 



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