202 
THE STORY OF THE PRAIRIE DOG. 
dusky recess, and in a few minutes first one, and then another prairie dog 
issues from its retreat, until the whole community is again in lively action. 
The title of prairie dog has been given on account of its sharp, yelping 
sound, which has some resemblance to the barking of a peevish lapdog. This 
peculiar sound is evidently employed as a cry of alarm; for, as soon as it is 
uttered, all the prairie dogs dive into their burrows, and do not emerge again 
until they hear the shrill whistle which tells them that the danger is past. 
Being so wary an animal, it is with difficulty approached or shot; even when 
severely wounded it is not readily secured, owing to its wonderful tenacity of 
life. A bullet that would instantly drop a deer has, comparatively, no imme¬ 
diate effect upon the prairie dog, which is capable of reaching its burrow, even 
though mortally wounded in such a manner as would cause the instantaneous 
death of many a larger animal. A tolerably large bullet through the brain 
seems to' be the only certain method of preventing a prairie dog from regaining 
its stronghold. The mode by which this animal enters the burrow is very 
comical. It does not creep or run into the entrance, but makes a jump in the 
air, turning a partial somersault, flourishing its hind-legs and whisking its tail 
in the most ludicrous manner, and disappearing as if by the magic of a con¬ 
jurer. 
The burrows of the prairie dog are generally made at an angle of forty 
degrees, and after being sunk for some little distance run horizontally. It is 
well known that these burrows are not only inhabited by the legitimate owners 
and excavators, but are shared by the burrowing owl and the rattlesnake. 
According to popular belief, the three creatures live very harmoniously 
together; but careful observations have shown that the snake and the owl 
are interlopers, living in the burrows because the poor owners cannot turn 
them out of their hiding-places, and finding an easy subsistence on the young 
prairie dogs. 
In Europe and Asia the prairie dog is known by its zoological name, 
the marmot. The best known are the Alpine marmot, inhabiting the Pyre¬ 
nees, Alps and Carpathian Mountains, and the bobac marmot, found on 
the frontier of Germany and ranging eastwards through Galicia and Poland, 
across the steppes of Southern Russia, and so on to Amurland, Kamschatka, 
and Siberia; the climate of these regions being cold enough to admit of 
the existence of marmots at low elevations. In Lapland and Scandinavia, 
marmots are quite unknown. 
In Asia one of the best known is the short-tailed Himalayan marmot, 
which is nearly allied to the bobac, but of somewhat larger size. Its range 
