324 
PRAIRIE DOG. 
the small mound of earth in front of each burrow was occupied by a Dog, 
sitting erect on his hinder legs, and coolly looking about for the cause of 
the recent commotion. Every now and then some citizen, more adven- 
turous than his neighbour, would leave his lodgings on a flying visit to a 
friend, apparently exchange a few words, and then scamper back as fast 
as his legs would carry him. 
By-and-b}^, as we kept perfectly still, some of our near neighbours were 
seen cautiously poking their heads from out their holes, and looking crafti- 
ly, and, at the same time, inquisitively about them. Gradually a citizen 
would emerge from the entrance of his domicil, come out upon his obser- 
vator}^ perk his head cunningly, and then commence yelping somewhat 
after the manner of a young puppy — ^a quick jerk of the tail accompany- 
ing each yelp. It is this short bark alone that has given them the name of 
Dogs, as they bear no more resemblance to that animal, either in appear- 
ance, action, or manner of living, than they do to the hyena. 
We were armed, one with a double-barrelled shot-gun, and another 
with one of Colt’s repeating-rifles of small bore, while I had my short heavy 
rifle, throwing a large ball, and acknowledged by all to be the best wea- 
pon in the command. It would drive a ball completely through a buffalo 
at the distance of a hundred and fifty-yards, and there was no jumping off 
or running away by a deer when struck in the right place ; to use a com- 
mon expression, “he would never know what had hurt him.” Hit one of 
the Dogs where we would, with a small ball, he would almost invariably 
turn a peculiar somerset, and get into his hole, but by a ball, from my rifle, 
the entire head of the animal would be knocked off, and after this, there was 
no escape. With the shot-gun again, we could do nothing but waste ammuni- 
tion. 1 fired it at one Dog not ten steps off, having in a good charge of buck- 
shot, and thought I must cut him into fragments. I wounded him severely, 
but with perhaps three or four shot through him, he was still able to 
wriggle and tumble into his hole. 
For three hours we remained in this commonwealth, watching the 
movements of the inhabitants and occasionally picking off one of the more- 
unwary. No less than nine were got by the party ; and one circumstance 
I would mention as singular in the extreme, and shewing the social rela- 
tionship which exists among these animals, as well as the kind regard 
they have for one another. One of them had perched himself upon the 
pile of earth in front of his hole, sitting up and exposing a fair mark, while 
a companion’s head was seen poking out of the entrance, too timid, perhaps, 
to trust himself farther. A well-directed ball from my rifle carried away 
the entire top of the former’s head, and knocked him some two or three 
feet from his post perfectly dead. While reloading, the other boldly came 
