80 
NATURE’S CRAFTSMEN 
do so, there is no doubt that dog town would 
thankfully rid itself of the pest.” 
“ What do the dogs themselves eat? ” queried 
Tommy interestedly, he and Max, like Ruth, 
having abandoned their occupation at the very 
beginning of Grandfather’s tale. 
“ Grass and herbage—alfalfa, if they can get 
it, grains of various kinds, peas, lettuce, and al¬ 
most any kind of garden stuff. As they are day 
animals, scouting for food is dangerous, and 
often when they have exhausted the resources 
close at hand, they will build a new town nearer 
the sources of supply, rather than expose them¬ 
selves to the dangers of long journeys. Like the 
desert animals and others whose lives are spent in 
dry regions, the prairie dogs never drink at all. 
Long ago, people thought that they dug pits 
deep into the earth to reach water; now we know 
that this is not true. Early in the morning and 
just before dusk is the time selected by the for¬ 
agers to secure their meals and bring in supplies. 
The prairie dogs neither hole up nor hibernate, as 
do their kin the squirrels and woodchucks. They 
come out every pleasant day all winter long. 
“ Indeed, I imagine the prairie dogs would 
just about die if they had to spend many days in 
solitude! They are the most sociable little folks 
imaginable. I have seen them sitting on their 
mounds all over the town, wagging their tails 
