156 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
“‘The prairie dogs feed upon grass and herbage, 
which is soon exhausted near the burrows, compelling 
the animals to go farther and farther away for food. 
This they dislike to do, as it exposes them to attack 
from enemies; and after a time they prefer to dig a 
new burrow nearer a supply of food. Thus a ‘town’ 
is always spreading and contains many empty bur- 
rows. Like other animals habituated to desert re- 
gions, they do not drink at all. . . . The animals 
are diurnal and most active morning and evening. 
They come out daily during the winter, except when 
it is very stormy; but this practice varies with the 
latitude and climate. 
‘‘They are prolific, especially in the southern half 
of their territory, and would multiply with excessive 
rapidity were it not for numerous enemies, especially 
rattlesnakes and other serpents. These are coura- 
geously resisted by the prairie dogs, who sound the 
alarm the moment a snake enters a hole, gather, and 
proceed to fill the entrance with earth, packing it 
down, thereby sometimes entombing the snake for- 
ever. Probably few snakes go down the passages, 
which are so steep they could with difficulty climb 
out, but depend upon lying hidden in the grass and 
striking down the young squirrels when out at play 
or in search of food. This is the method of the 
coyote, kit-fox, wildcat, hawks, and owls, who find 
the dog-towns a profitable hunting-ground. Badgers, 
however, can, if they will, easily dig up a burrow 
and devour the helpless family. The worst enemy is 
the black-footed ferret, a weasel of the plains, which. 
