204 
THE STORY OF THE PRAIRIE DOG . 
and barren; being in most cases scorched with fierce heat in summer, while 
in winter they are subject to intense cold. In the Himalaya, these animals 
are not met with until the traveler has crossed the wooded outer ranges, 
and entered the bleak Thibetan districts. 
The habits of all the marmots of the Old World are very similar; all 
of these animals living in large companies, and excavating burrows in which 
they pass the whole of the winter buried in slumber. Indeed, marmots 
seem to be the most thoroughly hibernating of all animals, since their sleep 
is apparently unbroken, and they lay up no store of winter food. Their 
food is purely of a vegetable nature, consisting mainly of roots, leaves, and 
seeds of various plants. In the Himalaya the burrows are very generally 
constructed beneath the shelter of a plant of wild rhubarb; and the tenants 
on a fine day take up their station on the mound at the entrance, or journey 
for a short distance in search of food. At the least alarm, they rush at once 
to the entrance of their burrow, when they sit up on their hind-quarters to 
survey the scene and detect the danger. If the enemy approach too close, 
the loud whistling scream is uttered, and the animal dives headlong into its 
burrow, to reappear after a time and see if the coast is clear. Both in the 
Alps and Himalaya marmot-warrens are situated in exposed situations, gen¬ 
erally where there is a considerable open space, and which in winter are 
deeply buried in snow. In the case of the Alpine species, the winter-quar¬ 
ters are made in large burrows, each with a single entrance, and terminat¬ 
ing in an extensive chamber lined with grass; such chambers frequently 
containing as many as from ten to fifteen occupants during the winter, all 
lying closely packed together. 
The flesh of marmots is of good flavor, and is largely consumed by the 
inhabitants of the Siberian steppes, who as soon as the bobac reappears in 
spring, after its winter sleep, organize a regular system of hunting. In 
shooting marmots it is essential that they should be killed at the first shot, 
as the sportsman is only able to come within range when they are sitting 
at the mouths of their burrows, and if only wounded, no matter how se¬ 
verely, they are well-nigh sure to have sufficient power left to struggle 
down. Marmots in the Himalaya will generally reappear after being fired 
at once, but after a second fright they are seldom seen again on that day. 
