370 
FOREST AND STREAM 
towns, with great apparent care, a piece of high, dry, level, 
hard and gravelly luod, covered with short gra-s, and 
without aDy visible reference to water. From this it is 
generally believed, and this is my opinion, that tbey go 
without water entirely, as a drink.* Nor can they receive 
much, if any, from dews, for in some places where they 
live dew rarely occurs, and the same is true of rains. I 
have sometimes seen their towns so completely stripped of 
all grasses and vegetation, their only food, as to quite re¬ 
semble an arid brick-yard, and hence no dew could form. 
They are sure prognosticators of the weather, and 
when the whole colony is seen out, chattering 
and busily engaged in hauling up with their feet the 
earth around their holes, and packing it down with their 
noses, then look out for rain, for there are no “probabili¬ 
ties” written on their bulletin. They are as fond of balk¬ 
ing as a ben of cackling, and all the colony are ready to 
join in the chorus. Their bark is short, quick, and back¬ 
ing, and resembles, I think, more nearly that of a squirrel 
than of a small dog, which Washington Irving compares it 
to. Them motions are always very quicb^ and while at 
play they are so froliesome, sprightly, and rapid, as to be 
really amusing. 
They live apparently on the grass and plants immediate¬ 
ly around their dwellings, and always appear sleek, fat, 
and lively, but how they manage to accomplish this in 
some of their arid towns is a mystery. They rarely ven¬ 
ture out in the day time beyond the dwellings of their 
nearest neighbors, or in quest of food, and I have never 
heard it said that they leave their homes at night, hence 
they can procure no food outside the limits of tlieir towns. 
In selecting hard and compact soils for their burrows tbey 
exhibits remarkable instinct of self-preservation closely 
allied to Teason. If the ground were soft the wolves, pan¬ 
thers, wild cats, and other carnivorous animals would un¬ 
earth them tor food. They are rarely taken by surprise, 
for like excellent soldiers, they are very vigilant about the 
camp. IV hen one becomes alarmed, lie immediately com¬ 
municates it by a change of voice, and then quickly dives 
for bis hole. The rest pasB the watchword, and in almost 
an instant all are out ol sight. Thus vigilance and activ¬ 
ity are their means of defense; and vet tbey may be shot 
without much difficulty by watching and waiting very 
quietly. The Indians eat them, and tlieir meat is very 
good. The prairie-dog’s desire, in fair weather, or if in 
vaded, to leave his burrow is so great that he soon pops 
out his head, stops to carefully reconuoiter, and if all ap¬ 
pears safe he quickly mounts his watch-tower, stands 
straight up on bis haunebes, and begins to work his side 
wag bis tail, bark, and exhort bis neighbors most vociteT 
ously. This seems to be one of his chief dcligbls; ti e unis 
of his neighbors are wide open, and in a little while aU join in 
the general pow-wow. No, not all! for some are seen ap¬ 
parently making a trial of their speed in a lively foot race, 
others in groups, seem engaged in the sprightly game of 
“leap-frog,” and others still, like little children, seem fully 
taken up in playing “tag.” Each apparently strives to 
out-do the other, and olil iiow hard they work, From 
hole to hole they go and back again, quick as thought, 
with their bodies bending, legs flying, and tails bobbing. 
All around is cheerful excitement, no enemy is believed 10 
be near, all fears have vanished, and joy supreme pervades 
the town. But, baug! bang! 1 Where are tbey? Silence 
answers. Such is Ike magical ebauge of the moment, and 
the sportsman is left alone to enjoy his laugh at these funny 
little creatures. But if we wait only a little while, their 
impatience and curiosity will draw them forth again to 
renew their former pastimes. And now a few words about 
their enemies. 
The little burrowing owl, or “prairie screech owl” 
(Spkculyto cunicularia), is always found in their towns. It 
inhabits the burrows of the dog, and hence some writers 
have supposed that both live harmoniously togtlier, but 
this inference is incorrect. The owl is, in fact, but an in¬ 
truder and enemy .of the dog, whose vacant houses in the 
absence ot hollow trees he seizes, and uses for his own 
convenience aud protection. From these he sallies forth 
wlieu hungry, pounces upon the unsuspecting young dog, 
carries him into his bole, aud gobbles him down; he picks 
the dead also, and, it is believed, enters the burrows of 
the living and carries away ihe juung. Bereaved of Lheir 
j ouug n 1 - piesumable tbal ibe old ones desert tlieir dwell 
iugs and the roober may euie into uie possesion of a new 
mansion. Like the dog, the owl is u=. .oly seen looking 
out ol the cutiauce ol nts bole, or.StalinL.g ..recl.upon the 
earlli at band, and in botn situations, no looks aograve and 
sedate as a deacon, and as wise as a learuid barrister. In 
eitneT position at a little UisLutlce oil, be so hcaily resem¬ 
bles the dog that be is often shot in bis stead. 
The lauieshalte is sometimes found au inhabitant of 
their Uoles, amt beuee some widens have counted him 
also as one ot the "happy lauiily.” This, beyond a doubt 
in my mind, Is an euor. The snake, like the owl, is an 
interloper, a vile, subtle iutruder upon the premises 
of the dog. Yea, worse, he is a loathsome robber, 
and deliberate murderer. When hungry, be slowly 
obtrudes his cold and slimy coil into their holes, seizes and 
gulps down tlieir young, and with his poisonus fangs, 
strikes the parents w ith certain death. He now slowly 
makes his coil in thisnew mansion, and being well filled, 
goes quietly to sleep. Aud here he is found, and this is 
the part he plays. No! both the owl and the snake are 
alii: r enemies to the dog, and both deserve death at Ms 
his hands. 
Dcver.it other animals, especially the panther and coyote 
prey upon the prairie dogs. These may many times be 
seen lurking arouud their towns. In Jauuary, 185S, while 
on a mouuted scout from Fort Belknap, Texas, to Fort 
Ohadboume, in pursuit of a parly Of "Ale good-Ingins,” 
who bad stolen some commissary beeves from the post, I had 
an opportunity of watching a panther trying to get his din¬ 
ner oil prairie-dogs. He would wail quietly till one ap¬ 
peared, aud then make a spring. But lime after time, the 
dogs were too quick for him aud sauk into their safe holes, 
just be tore the panther touched ute spot where they bad 
sat. A few trials of ibis sort so alarmed the whole town 
that none of the little fellow would venture out; and just 
as the disgusted panther was departing, Captain Oldscoul 
shot him dead. 
The following observations which fell under my eyes are 
full of iuterest here. They have never been given. In 
1853 the officers at Fort Washita, Indian country, had one 
of these dogs as a pet, and a very amusingpetho was. This 
was in the summer, and the officers built a ten-foot pen of 
hoards about three feet high, adjoining the “caravansery” 
or assembly room, and put the little pet into it. This gave 
us a fine opportunity to watch and study his habits. No 
sooner had he been put into his yard, than he surveyed it 
well, then fixing on the best place'for his burrow, he began 
to open the ground, and the way he made his little scrapers 
and the dirt fly was very amusing. In a little while be had 
his hole dug, and the next thing was to smooth it off, and 
arrange the dirt around the hole systematically. This was 
soon done, when he pounced out and in, and was as 
sprighty and gay as a lark. We had also the dry skin of a 
large snake, skinned with the rattles left on it. This gave 
us a good opportunity to test, as we did, the dog in his 
love or fear of the snake. We found by shaking the skin 
and rattles, that he would no sooner catch the sound, than 
away he would go for his hole, and become bo alarmed that, 
contrary to his custom, he would sometimes remain a 
whole day out of sight. And when he did come out it was 
with evident great fear. This experiment was also tried 
when he could see no motion, and with the same results. 
Sometimes when feeling the want of a good laugh I would 
take down Die skin carefully, and give it a sly rattle to see 
“Jack” bound for his hole; the laugh always came. These 
experiments conclusively show that the dog by the instinct 
of self-preservation, or otherwise, has the greatest natural 
dread ot the snake, and that he will flee from his presence 
at all times, as from a consuming fire. Again, whenever 
Jack was seen busily engaged hauling in the earth with his 
feet around his hole, and packing it hard with his nose, no 
matter If the day was as clear as a crystal, then we had un¬ 
erring notice of a coming storm, which sooa followed. So 
conspicuous was this that all firmly believed this little dog 
to be an instiuctive and sure prophet of the weather. He 
is the barometer of the plains; and, query, may not “Old 
Prob’s” get some of his remarkable predictions through 
him. 
He was a small eater. We threw him in a handful of 
grass occasionally, and he throve well, aud appeared con¬ 
tented and happy. My impression, however, from mem¬ 
ory is, that ho was never kDOivu to bark while in captivity, 
but of this, to my regret, I am not certain, for it consti¬ 
tutes a very interesting point and feature in his history. 
He makes a clean and beautiful pet, but I am uuable to 
say that lie can be domesticated, so as to be handled, and 
to remain around one’s premises. I think him untamable. 
Maj. H. W. Merrill. 
New Rochelle, N. 7. 
*In one of the earlior volumes of the American Naturalist there was 
an aniclo discussing mis qnestioD, in which it was stated that pet prairie 
dogs lap up water often and eagerly.—E d. 
—In the archteological collection made last year by Alex. 
Agassiz, at Pasagua, on the coast Of Southern Peru, were 
several parts of Human skeletons and a remarkable lot of 
human hair. This collection of hair shows not only the 
peculiar mode of braiding, but also the fact that hair other 
than that belonging naturally to the head was worn to a 
great extent in the form of “switches” and “rats.” 
TEXAN ORNITHOLOGY. 
Oainbyii.le, Cook Co., Texas, June 29th, 1876. 
Editor Fores* and Stream:— 
Following arc some notes upon the migration and nesting of birds in 
this locality between April 24 th and June 6th, which maybe worth re¬ 
cording:— 
April 21th.— 1 To-day 1 shot a male orchard oriole (Icterus spurius , var. 
Uffinis), and a yellow-breasted chat. I also took a nest, with a Tull set of 
eggs, of Lite blue-gray gnat catcher, and found two other nests with sets 
incomplete. All three nests were on horizontal limbs, aud the outside 
of the nests being constructed of moss, tbey very mueli resembled kuota 
in the wood. Black capped chicadoes arc incubating. I secured speci¬ 
mens of tho summer red-bird and indigo-bird on their first arrival. 
April 86th.— 1 Took a nest of tho blue-gray gnatcatcher with a cow- 
bird's egg in it. The Carolina wren is incubating. 
April 2Sib.—The doves are laying, aud young black-capped chicadees 
are on the wing. 
May 2d.—Swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites migrating. 
May 4th.—Crow black-birds me bating. Shot a male Mississippi kite 
in perfect plumage. The stomach contained wasps, bugs aud flies. 
May Clb.—Lark finches incubating, and red-birds neating. The gaudy 
painted finch (Cyanospisa cirie) has appeared. 
May 8th.—Black-throated booting (Kusplza americana) nesting. 
May 6th.—The hooded oriole (.Icterus cucuUaius) is now nesting. This 
bird is verv plentiful, and is not so sby as the orchard oriole. The 
swallow-tailed flycatchers (Mlvulus forficalm) are also nesting. 
May 10th.—Meadow larks nesting. 
May 11th.—Swallow-tailed kites and Mississippi kites are to bo seen 
almost daily. The mocking-birds are Incubating. 
May 17th.—Yellow-billed coekoos (known in tho South as “raiuerowB") 
are nesting. Each nest contains one chick and two eggB. 
May 33d.—Took a nest of the lark finch with a cow-bird’s egg in It. 
The yellow-winged sparrow is incuhatmg. 
May 25th.—King-birds nesting. 
June 1st,—Saw a red-tailed hawk. Do they breed here? 
June 5th.—Saw the largest flock of swallow-tailsd kites to-day that I 
have seen during the spring migration. There were about 20. Tn 
August, aud, I think, sometimes in Jnly, these kites arc to be seen here 
ou their return with their yonng. 0. H. Ragsdale. 
Arrivals at Philadelphia Zoological Garden, June 22to July 10. 
—Three woodchucks(Areto»p4'Wona3!), one presented by Wm.R. Strievy, 
of Philadelphia, one by McCadden & Sloan, of Philadelphia, and one 
by Mr. Goldsmith, of Camden, N. J.i three barn owls (Strix Jtammeu ) 
and onejcbupparral cock (Geococcyx cutpurchased; two screech 
owls (Scops asio ), prqsentcd by Frank Mowrey, Philadelphia; twenty- 
seven horned toads (Phrynosoma comuta), presented—one by Mrs. 
Paschall, of Puschallville, Pennsylvania; two peafowls (Paco cris- 
talvs), bred in tbe garden; one red fox (Vulpes fulvous), presented 
by W. W. Whilden, Philadelphia; one green monkey (CercopUhecus 
caUitrichus); one white-throated capuchin (Cebus ht/poleuctm); one 
Himalayan bear ( Ursux Ubetanus); one black Iguana (iletojwceros cor- 
nntus) and one albino squirrel (Sdnrus carolinensis), purchased; two 
wild geese (Branta canadensis), presented by Maxwell’s Point Ducking 
Club; live Daubenton’a curaasows (Vrax Daubentoni); seven trumpeters 
(Psophia crepitans); twelve love-birds; onegallinule; two red-breasted 
guana (P. gretyiV, three parrakeets; one crow-black-bird (Qulscalus 
purpureas); one marmoset (Ilypalc jacchns); two maccaque monkeys 
(.l/e cams cyrmmolgus); two pig-tailed monkeys (If. nemesbrinus), pre¬ 
sented ; one screech owl (Soops asio), and one red bellied terrapin (Emys 
rubiivenLHs), presented; two grey rexes (Vulpes virginianus), presentod 
by A. It. McHeury, Jr., Philadelphia. 
Arthur E. Bbown, Superintendent. 
Arrivals at the Central Park Menaoerib, June 24 to July B.— 
One sea-dog (Zatop/vus Gillispiei); one green turtle ((Iheloftia mydas), 
presented byE. G. Blackford, New York city; one woodcock (Philohcla 
minor), captured in this city, and presented by Louis Mendel; seven pea¬ 
fowls (P«vo crietatus), bred in the Menagerie. 
W. A. Coweujs,D irector, 
Hitchting nntl Ranting. 
HIGH WATER. FOR THE WEEK. 
July 13... 
July 14... 
July 15... 
Jut) iii .. 
July 17.. 
July 18.. 
July 19.. 
Boston. New York. Charleston. 
The Countess of Dufferin. —The yacht which is to I 
sail against the Madeline for the famous “Americus” cup I 
arrived at Halifax on the 7th instant, and sailed again for I 
this port on Saturday the 8lh. The first, of the three I 
matches was to have been sailed on Monday of this week, ■ 
but owing to the impracticability of the Countess being J 
here in time, all the matches have been postponed until 1 
August. 
Rockaway Yaoht Club. —The Rockaway Yacht Club! 
held their Centennial Regatta on July 4lh. The race was 
sailed over the regular Club Course at Rockaway, with full I 
entries in Ihe two classes. The club house was crowded J 
with members and friends. The ladies were noUceable 1 
"by a large majority,” and certainly displayed the most I 
enthusiasm. The breeze was strong and the time made 
was excellent. In the jib and mainsail class Die Spring- ■ 
away carried off the first prize, heating the Fanny I). 
sixteen seconds, in tbe mainsail class the Gaviota took J 
first honors, beating the Mignon nine seconds. All the I 
boats in both classes being very close together at the finish J 
made a brilliant finale to an exciting race. 
Mr. J. Schmidt, owner of the yacht'Pluck and LuckJ 
(Phoebus, what a name 1 why not call her Liver and Bacon) 1 
has accepted the challenge from the owner of the Mary 1 
Emma to sail a match from Gowanus Bay ten miles to 
windward and return, for $500 a side, the match to coma, 
off July 27th. 
The matches for the America Cup are postponed until] 
August. 
Toms River. —The Annual Regatta of the above club 
was sailed on the club course on the 5th iust., and resulted 
in the sloop yacht Carrie winning the Challenge Clip by 
22f seconds; Cynthia second prize, two $20 gold pieces; 
Lulu third $20 gold; Mist fourth $10 gold. 
The day was very favorable, with a good stiff breeze 
from the southward. Much excitement had been mani- 
his sloop yacht Cynthia, of the Elizabeth Club, carried off 
their challenge cup,tbe members still clung to the idea that 
they could not have been defeated had the wind been in 
tlieir teeth. Yesterday dispelled all such ideas by our 
yachtsmen; there is not one left to do them reverence.I 
With the wind all they could desire they were beaten from 
fifteen to eighteen minutes allowance to windward by the 
above sloop yachts- It made two very exciting races. 
The contest between (lie Cynthia and Carrie was very 
close, so also was it with the fleet of cat-boats, which kept’ 
well together, the Lulu aud Carrie Hooper passing 11161 
stake side by side. The winner of the cup, Currie, was 
built by W. T. Force, of Keyport, N. Y., for Mr. Cbas. 
Carman, of Forked River, aud has proven herself to he a 
very slippery craft, as her principal antagonist,the Cynthia, 
fresh from her laurels in ihe centennial regatta,is considered 
a flyer with no mean record. B. i 
Yachts at Philadelphia. —On Saturday last there 
were moored in the Delaware, between Smith's Island and 
Camden, the following yachts, belonging 1o the Senwan 
haka Club, under the command of Commodore Colgate] 
Schooners, Wanderer, Capt. Stillman; Idler, Capl. Sieve' 
sou; Ariel, Capt. Swain; Meteor, Capt. Isleiu; Sloop 
Vindex, Capt Center. This (Wednesday) morning 1 see 
that more of them have gone out. The British schooner 
yacht Helen has beeti here some time, and tho British 
steam yacht Norseman (which has lefi) was lying at Walnut 
street wharf all last week. The yacht Paul Jordan, Capl, 
Jordan, Americus Yacht Club, Baltimore, arrived yester¬ 
day, as did also ihe Ellie Spedwull, Of Washington. The 
schooner Lanceolut, of the Baltimore yaoht club, Capt, 
Taylor Williams, wiil come in to-day. SCULLS. 
Sayville Regatta.— Among the many attractions ol. 
the “Foiitlh"on Long Island was a regatta in the South 
Bay, Sayville handing oeing the point Of departure. 
Among the boats entered were the Hero, Dom Pedro, Sel' 
ena. Messenger, Minnehaha, and Patent Lever, all bavin) 
great reputation for speed. The course was a triangular 
one, to he sailed over twice, making a total distance c 
about eighteen miles. The prizfs were a silver cake bull 
kel presented by Mr. E. R. Wilbur, the entrance fees, 
a year's subscription to Forest and Stream. The Hero 
_ _jcription 
a Bayport boat, took first prize, making the course in « 
little less thau two hours, the Dom Pedro second, aud Sel 
ena third. Judges—Capt. Gillett, E. R. Wilbur, and W» 
M. Tileston. 
SCHUYLKILL NOTES. 
Philadelphia, July 3, 1870. ' 
Sditok Forest and Stream:— 
Among ihe crews on the Schuylkill little activity is man! 
tested in tke way of racing. The Undines, alter thcii 
riclory over the Quakers, cannot refuse to make an eutryj 
rite Vespers, who are not a Navy club, have au excellent* 
:rew in training. It is not likely they will now secure i 
■ace with any Navy club before an open regatta, but , 
niderstand that they are open to challenge from anybody 
riiey arc anxious to get a race on, as, if they win, thej 
yill keep up lheir four, and if beaten will concentrate their 
mergies on the double-scull race.. They presented a erev 
insisting of McMnllan and Mengres, which made a hi] 
•ace with the late fast crew from Chicago, Gurtis ant 
rates; and if a good four can heat the Vesper four thq 
ivill put these men into a good boat and good training. 
For the Centennial Regatta the first formal entry ia iron 
