Cony, or Pika 
55 
a sudden stop to the investigating and the life of the in- 
vestigator as well. But they do not seem to hibernate, and 
FIG. i8. CONY, OR PIKA. Ochotoua saxatilis 
E. R. Warren, Photo. 
can doubtless make their way about under the snow and 
through the slide rock. I have seen one about in January, 
at a mine near Irwin, at an elevation of 10,700 feet; there it 
came inside the blacksmith shop, but gave no opportunity 
to study its habits. In late summer and in fall the conies 
may be seen busily engaged in gathering their hay crop. 
The method is to cut down as much of the plant as can 
be taken into the mouth, then getting hold of the bunch at the 
ends of the stalks, the cony starts on a run for his haystack. 
He never walks, he is in too great a hurry to get in his hay. 
This load is placed on the pile, and away he goes after another. 
Where there is a rock slide of considerable extent sometimes 
several conies may be seen at once making hay. 
