118 POPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 



visitors, during daylight hours, they will be kept for ex- 

 hibition ; otherwise not. At present, some examples of these 

 species can be seen in the Reptile House. ' 



In Winter. — In the temperate zone, when "winter comes 

 to rule the varied year," all the burrowing animals must 

 retire to their burrows, live upon their buried stores of 

 winter food, and hibernate until spring. The tropical 

 species do not know how to hibernate, and therefore they 

 must be taken indoors, or they perish. 



In order that our native species of rodents may be seen 

 all winter, and that the tropical species may be kept alive, 

 nearly all the animals that in summer live in the Burrow- 

 ing Mammal Quarters are removed in autumn to the well- 

 warmed Small-Mammal House. It also happens that in 

 summer a few of the small carnivores, and all armadilloes, 

 are kept in these Quarters. 



In addition to the rodents which it is practicable to ex- 

 hibit in these enclosures, the summer season will find some 

 of them occupied by certain especially interesting species 

 which need the soil of Mother Earth as well as sunlight 

 and air. Here will be found the Armadilloes, the Nasuas, 

 the Raccoon Dogs, the Swift Foxes and a few others., which 

 in winter belong in the Small-Mammal House. 



THE PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE, No. 41. 



The Western Prairie-" Dog," or Prairie Marmot, (Cyno- 

 mys ludovicianus) . — Occupying a conspicuous hill-top near 

 the Small-Deer House, and overlooking the Wild-Fowl 

 Pond, is a circular enclosure, 80 feet in diameter, sur- 

 rounded by an iron fence with an overhang, with walls 

 going down to bedrock. This contains about fifty fat and 

 jolly little Prairie Marmots, one-half of which are the gift 

 of a Montana ranchman, Mr. Howard Eaton. The soil of 

 the enclosure has never been disturbed, and there is no 

 danger that the little creatures ever will be smothered in 

 their burrows, as frequently happens in earth that has once 

 been dug up and filled in again. 



Owing to its optimistic and even joyous disposition, the 

 Prairie-" Dog" has many friends, and "happy as a Prairie- 

 'Dog' " would be a far better comparison than "happy as a 

 king." His cousin, the woodchuek, has the air of being 

 perpetually "in the dumps," but the Prairie-" Dog" — never. 

 His so-called bark is really a laugh, and his absurd little tail 



