PRAFRIE DOG. 
321 
many places. Their habitations are generally called “ dog-towns,” or 
villages, by the Indians and trappers, and are described as being inter- 
sected by streets (pathways) for their accommodation, and a de^gree of 
neatness and cleanliness is preserved. These villages, or communities, 
are, however, sometimes infested with rattle-snakes and other reptiles, 
which feed upon the marmots. The burrowing owl, {Surnia cunicularki.) 
IS also found among them, and probably devours a great number of the 
defenceless animals. 
The first of these villages observed by our parly, when we were as- 
cending the Missouri river in 1843, was near the “Great bend ” of that 
stream. The mounds were verv low, the holes mostly open, and but few 
of the animals to be seen. 
Our friend Enw.iim H.^reis, Mr. Bell and Michaux, shot at them but 
we could not procure any, and were obliged to proceed, being somewhat 
.anxious to pitch our camp for the night, before dark. Near Port George, 
(a little farther up the river,) we again found a village of these marmots’ 
and saw great numbers of them. They do not hark, but utter a chip 
chip, chip, loud and shrill enough, and at each cry jerk their tail, not 
erecting it, however, to a perpendicular. 
Iheir holes are not straight down, but incline downwards, at an angle 
of about forty degrees for a little distance and then diverge sideways or 
upward,sL We shot at two of these marmots which were not standing 
across their holes apparently, but in front of them, the first one we 
never saw after the shot; the second we found dying at the entrance of 
the burrow, but at our approach it worked itself backward-we drew 
our r.amrod and put the screw in its mouth, it bit sharply at this, but not- 
withstanding our screwing, it kept working backward, and was soon out 
ol sight and beyond the reach of our ramrod. 
Mr. Bell saw two enter the same hole, and Mr. Harris observed three 
Occasionally these marmots stood quite erect, and watched our move- 
ments, and then leaped into the air, all the time keeping an eve on us 
We found that by lying down within twenty or thirty steps of their holes 
and remaining silent, the animals re-appeared in fifteen or twenty minutes.’ 
i ow and then one of them, after coming out of its hole, issued a long 
and somewhat whistling note, perhaps a call, or invitation to his neic^h- 
bours, as several came out in a few moments. The cries of this species 
.are probably uttered for their amusement, or as a means of recognition 
and not, especially, at the appearance of danger. They are, as we think’ 
more m the habit of feeding by night than in the day time ; their drop- 
pings are scattered plentifully in the neighbourhood of their villages 
vol ^“ters,' who 
