Colorado Species of Woodchucks. 



Park Woodchuck, Marmota flaviventris luteola. 



Warrcirs Woodclnick, Marmota flaviventris warreni. 



Dusky Wooclclmck, Marmota flaviventris ohsciira. 



Fig'giii's Woodchuc'k, 31 armota flaviventris campioni. 



Tlie food of woodchucks cousists of native grasses, clover, 

 alfalfa and garden truck. They are very fond of the leaves of 

 the rhubarb, and, are about the only rodent known to the writer 

 that will eat onions. 



We have had several complaints from different parts of the 

 State about woodchucks taking- possession of camp buildings and 

 gnawing- the timbers and boards. In their food habits, wood- 

 chucks have one redeeming feature ; they are very fond of dande- 

 lion. 



Genus Cynomys 



To this genus belongs our well known prairie-dogs. Form 

 robust, tail short, flat, ears rudimentary, very shallow cheek 

 pouches, fore paws adapted for digging, hair short and coarse. 

 Total length about 13 to 15 inches. Color, light to reddish brown. 



Colorado Species of Prairie-Bogs. 



Plains Prairie-Dog, Cynomys ludovicianus. 



White-tailed Prairie-Dog, Cynomys leiicurns. 



Gunnison Prairie-Dogs, Cynomys gunnisoni gunnisoni. 



Zuni Prairie-Dog, Cynomys gunnisoni zuniensis. 



The combined distribution of these four species, according to 

 our records, includes all of the counties of the State with the ex- 

 ception of Grand, Gilpin, Summit, Garfield, Pitkin, Ouray, Hins- 

 dale, Mineral and San Juan. Warren reports them from Ouray 

 and Mineral. These prairie-dogs occupy about fourteen million 

 acres of land, and, if the average number of dogs to the acre is 

 five, there would be seventy prairie-dogs to every man, woman and 

 child in the State. Sixty-four prairie-dogs consume as much grass 

 as two sheep. Why not raise sheep in place of prairie-dogs? They 

 eat native grasses, alfalfa, small grain of all kinds, potatoes and 

 other vegetables, and also beans, seeds of squash, cantaloupes and 

 watermelons. 



Contrary to newspaper reports, prairie-dogs do not dig to 

 water, but get along with what moisture they derive from the 

 vegetation upon which they feed ; and rattlesnakes and owls do 

 not occupy the same burrows with them in perfect harmony. 



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