158 THE PRAIRIE DOG. 
eagerly as if they were transacting the most important business. Suddenly 
a sharp yelp is heard, and the peaceful scene is ina moment transformed into 
a whirl of indistinguishable confusion. Quick barks resound on every side, 
the air is filled with a dust-cloud, in the midst of which is indistinctly seen 
an intermingled mass of flourishing legs and whisking tails, and in a moment 
the populous “town” is deserted. Not a “dog” is visible, and the whole 
spot is apparently untenanted. But ina few minutes a pair of dark eyes are 
seen gleaming at the entrance of some burrow, a set of glistening teeth next 
shine through the dusky recess, and in a few minutes first one and then 
another Prairie Dog issues from his retreat, until the whole community is 
again in lively action, 
PRAIRIE DOG, OR WISH-TON-WISH.—(Spermédphilus Ludovicidnus.) 
The title of Prairie Dog has been given to this animal on account of the 
sharp yelping sounds which it is in the habit of uttering, and which have 
some resemblance to the barking of a very small and very peevish lap-dog. 
Every time that it yelps it gives its tail a smart jerk. This peculiar sound 
is evidently employed as a cry of alarm ; for as soon as it is uttered all the 
Prairie Dogs dive into their burrows, and do not emerge again until they 
hear the shrill whistle which tells them that the danger is past. 
The burrows of the Prairie Dogs are generally made at an angle of forty 
degrees, and after being sunk for some little distance, run horizontally, or 
even rise towards the surface of the earth. It is well known that these 
burrows are not only inhabited by the legitimate owners and excavators, but 
are shared by the burrowing owl and the rattlesnake. According to popular 
belief, the three creatures live very harmoniously together; but careful 
observations have shown that the snake and the owl are interlopers, living 
in the burrows because the poor owners cannot turn them out, and finding 
an easy subsistence on the young Prairie Dogs. A rattlesnake has been 
