The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-07

ave ana color from and half to eighteen inches in
length are found here all of which harmless Then
coes he family of horned frogsn which allied to
the chameleon AMI lizard OF these harmless little
ture. al covered a means of defence, with sharp
horng projections there Is also great variety Next to
these come the poisonous reptiles. First ia the horri
aianua, with his hairy body large pigeons egg,
and with legs long ones finger, sridng the
ground and nesting under o0e's blankets at night.
His sting or bite. sometimes death. His habta
ton Is Ia the ground, the opening TO which he covers
over with trap door. There other large spiders
that also harbor in the earth and protect the entrance
TO their abodes in the same manner, Next are the
white and the black scorpions the former Of which
very abundant These are from one and half to two
inches in length. The sting OF the black variety l. some
times fatal The white ones were often found in the
boots Of the into which they crept at night and
were not discovered until they stung the foot sharp
pain the consequence for few hours or perhaps
day, when IL passed off, These creatures were some
times found in our beds in the morning.
But perhaps there is hdeous looking reptiles
nfesting the plains than the centpede These are from
three to ten inches in length and exceedingly poi
sonous sometimes fatal Then there is the venagron as
the Mexcans call IT, black insect about two inches in
length, a!so very poisonous and lastly, the a,acran
species Of scorpion the most venemous OF all These
last fortunately, chiefly confined to the city oil Du
range where owing to their numbers, and the fatality
which attends their sting bounty OF SIX cents Is gwen
BY the government for every killed We close this
catalogue with the ratlesnake, which needs no descrp
ZION This creature found every where, from the Gulf
of Mexico the Pacific alike in grassy rocky and desert
regions Hundreds Of them were killed BY our party
yet am not aware that any Of us were bitten, Two
insects Of which have spoken, found throughout
the countries contiguous to the boundary and were seen
almost daily Thus has nature adapted numerous class
of animals for the otherwise solitary desert where they
enjoy undisputed sway. These plains also abound in
moes rats, mice rabbits, and other burrowing animals;
sometimes to such extent that it is dangerous to
over them with horses and mules Many specimens of
the lesser mammala we're brought home by the Commits
son well collection Of reptiles and insects. or
reptiles, very large number discovered which
entirely This collection is in the Cabinet Of
the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.
One of the most interesting animals to be met with
the prairies and high table lands 10 the prairie dog"
which is in fact other than marmot having char
acter in common with dogs IT. looks and habits are
totally different The Canadian trappsrs used to call it
petit chin, which, together with the noise 1t makes,
which, however is more Of chirp or yep, than bark
has caused it to receive the name Of prairie dog
The first community of these little creatures we met
with in Texas, Bradys Creek, branch OF the
Colorado of the East This was the largest we ever saw
have | heard of ~ extensive. For thee
travelled through this colony, during which tmeN
did not lose sight Of them. On either side far as
could the plain their habiations extended
standing out in bold relief In the little hiocks they had
raised with the earth brought from their subterranean
sbodes Their habitations are usually about ten yards
apart and the h0cks contain from one to two carloads
Of earth each Some have one entrance, others two,
which incline at angle Of about forty Eve degrees To
know that the frequent attempts to drown the animals
rarely succeeded.
these hilocks showing that close intimacy exists be-
tween their occupants or perhaps family connection
we supposed this community or ''uOS Town, ~ IL Is
called extended at least sixty miles, we travelled at
that time twenty miles day As to its width, we could
not form decided opinion; but presuming it to have
been only half wide 1t was long idea may be
formed OF the vast number Of animals it contained.
If We suppose that this community extended hfty
miles in direction and but ten in another, have
superfces of five hundred square miles, and allowing
them to be thirty feet apart nine hundred square feet
for each large allowance it would give about thirty
the five hundred miles Estimating but two Of these lit
tie creatures which is the smallest supposabe number
community. think it would be quite safe to reckon
three or perhaps four animals to each hillock.
For the greater part of this distance the country was
fat and covered with short grass, kept probably BY
these animals feeding it. few scattered mezquit
trees also grew among them. Rivers did not limit the
colony, for they found on both sides OF several
streams In several places noticed colony the
nit of elevated pateaus hills whore the country was
exceedingly barren and the heritage scant as to ap
it evident That the colony not in flourish
ing condition many of the habitations were deserted
Of tine habits of these animals say little from OBJ
servation although saw thousands of them. would
gladly have taken day to conceal myself near them for
the purpose Of watching their actions but when in the
most interesting places moving forward. Major
Long in HIS expedition to the Rocky Mountains says
they pass the winter in lethargc state Other travel
ers deny this and say that they from their holes
during the winter whenever the weather is mild. saw
them out pretty cold days in November. Even
the plains further to the north, where snow lies on
the for weeks and where the cold they
out during the winter
Where they obtain water has puzzled naturalists
Some travellers say that they dig down until they find it.
This cannot be the case, for have seen them on dry
elevated plains, twenty miles from water, and where
there was no dew.
Ihe color OF the prairie dog Is light brown The lower
art of its body with the face and neck OF whtish
yellow Its sire varies from that of gray squirrel to
that of northern woodchuck, which 1t resembles in
form than any other animal The body of full
specimen is about twelve inches in length its tall
which is bushy between three and four II stands erect
Ike squirrel with its tail in constant motion particu
larry when seated upon the top of its hilock cpng to
its companions AS drew their villages alarm
seemed 10 be given by placed as sentinel on hill
lock ia the outskirts. As the signal was given
general scamperng to get home took place among them
some running in direction some in another. When
they reached their habitatons they would stand erect
at their entrances with their heads just popping above
and keep ncessant chirping and fskng of their
tails until passed AS we drew quite near some OF
them would into their holes and disappear
We found II difficult to secure them, for they always
stood at the entrance Of their burrows that If shot
they fell within do not think that out Of twenty shots
sometimes fired at these creatures more than one spee
men WAS obtained.
This Is said to be good food but at the time
killed those referred to- provisions were abundant
and could be induced to try them subsequently
when got short allowance do not think any one
could have hcsitated to eat them.
Rabbits often burrow with these animals or what is
more probable, they occupy habitations made by the
latter The habits Of rabbit lead him to places where
there shrubs and not bare plain 1t is pro-
babe therefore that the rabbits among the prairie
dogs merely wanderers who have stayed away from
their proper abodes and finding comfortable quarters
already provided without the labor Of burrowing them
selves have driven away the weaker animals and taken
possession OF their dwellings.
small brown owl also resides with the prairie dogs
and is almost always found standing their hillocks
acting perhaps sentinel for which the community
has TO pay dear He is undoubtedly nterloper, as,
from the known habits OF this bird, of which is its
fondness for ground mice moles and other small quad
rupeds doubtless seeks the habitatons of the prairie
dogs to feed their young The parent dogs can have
little courage to permit dminutve bird like this to
prey upon their offspring
But the serious nterloper in the dog towns is the
ratlesnake. / had often heard that this reptile was
found among them and thought 1t must be accidental,
until witnessed how frequently it occurs On one
cason several Of those revolving creatures enter
single hole in the very midst Of dogtown No one can
believe that any friendship exists between animals OF
such opposite natures and it cannot be doubted that the
ratesnake takes up his abode among them for sinister
purposes They cannot drive him away and are there
fore compelled to give him quick possession OF any habi
tation he may enter and allow him occasionally to feed
upon the junior members of the fraternity.
| have the prairie dogs in Texas, New Mexico,
Chihuahua, Sonora and California.
During various journeys encountered numerous
herds of anelopes the plains Several shot and
found TO be excellent eating They more tmid than
the deer and good deal OF stratagem is necessary ~
The antelope ia considered more beautiful animal