THE PEAIEIE DOGS. 



31 



entral scales become divided in two, and continue so to the 



Several tortoises were seen, and one specimen of the 



prickly little fellow whom we 



tip. 



homed toad was capti 



did not expect to meet quite so far east. 



But what most delights all travellers on the plains, at first 

 are the prairie dogs. These little rodents are the size of i 

 rabbit, the colour of a hare, have the hair of a rat, and th( 



fc 



A rriiiiie-dog-town and its luliabitauls 



face of a sauirrel ; but their tails are original, they stand 



ht over thcii- back, and do a most enormous amount of 



wa 



They are the most sociable little 



in the 



men 



; by nature they live in colonies, called by the ranch- 

 " Prairie-dog-towns," where they often cover many 

 of land with their little mounds. Each mound has a 



They 



hole in the top, leading to the family apartments. 



