Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-08-11

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expose himself further. A well directed h.,
from my rife carried awav the entire ion =
the formers head and knocked him some ,u
or three feet from bis post perfectly dead
While rcloading, the other dar;nplv came on,
seized his companion by one of his lcgs nm,
before we could reach the hole had dr,wn l;,,
compulsory out OF reach, although we tried ,e
twist linn out with raf,roJ y,hero ,vas i.
feeling in the little incident. some,h;p. L,'
man, which raised the animals in INV esI;,n,.
ton, and ever after did not attcmnt 10 Lii
one OF them, except when driven by HUNGER
The prairie dog is apparently about ,ho
size of n RABBIT, heaviAr r..l.~rs, .n.-. ..,,,,
pact and with much shorter 1eSs. Nh appear.
ance II resembles the woodchuck or ground
hog OF the north, although ,rifle SMALLER shan
that animal. In their habits the prairie dogs
are social, never live alone like other ANIMALS.
but are always found in villages or large set
Elements. They are wild Troublesome set of
fellows when uhdisturbed, restless and on the
move, and appear to take especial delight i'm
chattcring away the time and visiting about
from hole to hole to gossip and talk over one
another's affairs at least so their actions
would indicate. When they linda good loco-
ton for village, and no water is handy old
hunters say that they dig we'll to supply the
wants of the community.
On several occasions crept up close to one
oil their villages, without being observed. tn
watch their movements. Directly in the CEN
ire OF one of them particularly noticed a very
large dog sitting in front of his door, or en-
trance to his burrow, and by his own actions
and those OF his ncighbors, it really looked as
though he was the president, mayor, or chief
at all events, he was the 'big dog,'' of the
place. For at least an hour looked at the
operations OF this little community. During
that time the large dog, | have mentioned re-
celved at least a dozen visits from his fellow
dogs, who would stop and chat with him
lew momensand then run off to their domicils
All this while he never left his post for mo-
ment and thought could discover a gravity
IN his department not dscernabe in those by
whom lie was surrounded Far is il from me
to say that the visits he received were upon
business, or as having any thing to do with
the local government of the village: but il
certainly looked so. If any animal is endow-
cd with reasoning powers, or has any system
OF laws regulating the body polite, it is the
prairie dog
In different parts of the same village the
members of it were seen gamboliing, friskinp.
ana visiting aboub occasionally turned heels
over head into their holes, and appearing to
have all sorts of fun among themselves. Owls
Oh singular species were oloe coon ..,.,e
them. They did not appear to Join in their
sports IN any way, but still seemed to be on
good terms; and as they were seen entering
and coming out ofthe same holes may be con-
sldered as members of the same family, or at
least retalners. Rallesnakes. too, dwell a.
mong them, but the idea that has obtained of
their living upon sociable terms of companion
ship with the dogs is without foundation. The
snakes look upon as loafers, not easily shak
en- off by the regular inhabitants, and they
make use ofthe dwellings of the dogs as more
comfortable quarters than they can find else
where Wckilied one short distance from a
burrow who had made a meal of a half grown
dog and although do not think they can mas
ter the larger animals, the latter are willing
enough TO let them pass in and ont without
moiestation-an evil, like many in every So
ciety. that cannot be got rid of.
The first town we visited was several miles
lnlength and at least mile in width. Around,
and In the vicinity, were smaller villaees-su
brrbs of the larger town to all appearance.
We kinded fire and cooked three of those
we had shot, and found the meat exceedingly
sweet, tender, and Juicy, resembling that of the
squirrel, only that there was more fat upon il,
thus ended a first visit to one OF the nuncr-
Gus dog towns of the West''