216 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 
There were thousands of these holes, each with 
its dog. One near-by dog sat up on his mound 
like a ten-pound sea lion. He watched us with 
concentrated attention. His tongue and tail 
were still. When my hat started toward him 
he simply dropped into the hole. There were 
scattered holes which had a rabbit or two little 
owls at its doorway. Throughout the town 
were little orchards of dwarfed sagebrush and 
a scattering of tall weeds. A showy bed of 
prickly pear cactus inside the town limits was 
not inhabited. 
The prairie dog is a sun worshipper. He keeps 
aloof from localities where willows are an enemy- 
hiding screen and where trees cast a shadow. 
His populous cities are in arid lands where for 
three hundred days each year they have their 
place in the sun. 
The dogs seemed to be ever moving about, 
visiting or barking. A young dog near me 
ambled over to visit another. These two called 
on a third and while in session were joined by 
one’s, two’s, and companies until there were 
several dozen massed. _ 
A young dog left his hole-top after a survey 
and started off for a call. But he turned aside 
to join and mingle with the crowd for a minute 
or two, then went on with his call. All this 
time there were several dogs behind me energeti- 
