102 pornr.An oppiriAT, nninE. 



In Winter. — Tn tho temperate zone, when "winter comes 

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

 retire to their burrows, live upon their buried stores of win- 

 ter 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 Mammals' Quarters are removed in autumn to the well- 

 warmed Small-Mammal Plouse. It also happens that in 

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

 are kept in these Quarters. 



In addition to the rodents which it is practicable to 

 exhibit in these enclosures, the summer season will find 

 some of them occupied by certain especiallj^ interesting 

 species which Jieed the soil of Mother Earth as well as 

 sunlight and air. Here will be found the Annadilloes, 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 ludovicianits). — Occupying a conspicuous hill-top near 

 the Small-Deer House, ancl overlooking the Wild-Fowl Pond, 

 is a circular enclo.sure, 80 feet in diameter, surrounded by 

 an iron fence with an overhang, Avith 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 woodchuck, has the air of being per- 

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

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

 was given to him solely as a means of visible expression of 

 good nature. But he has his enemies and detractors. The 



