The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-11-24

Natural Habits of the CyMomous
I.ud0viclanms and His Home.

Ludovicianus and His Home.
The Cynomus Ludoyicianus is what the
naturalist calls him, though it is doubtful
whether he would answer to the name any
more readily than he would respond to tn
appellation of "Major" or "Colonel.'
The people out West call him simply tn,
prairie dog" The canine cognomen il
entirely NAL a pr0pos, as the French say,
and, could the frisky little creature to
whom it is applied talk United States,
prairie squirrel" would be q much more
appropriate designation for Mr.. G. Ludo-
dcianus, of natural history and the great
southwest. He resembles fox squirrel ir
general appearance more than anything
Use. The only thing at all doglike abou
Tim is his little, short, quick bark. instead
IT the long and pretty caudal brush of the
iox squirrel, he has short, stumpy tail
which vibrates with great agility as he darts
Town into his subterranean domicile upon
she approach of man or other supposed
enemy. l am informed by persons who
have eaten this little quadruped that his
bones are red, like those of the fox squirrel
and his flesh equally as palatable. The
only trouble about eating him is in first
sapturing him. As a rule it is somewha.
iifficult to make feast of any animal unit
is fist caught, and the prairie dog is ne
Exception to the rule. He seems to b,
onscientiously opposed to furnishing the
Material for mans carniyorous consump-
ion, although there is good reason for be-
ieving that rattlesnakes and owls are in the
aabit of holding high carnival over his
plump little progeny. According to mod.
ern mythology the prairie dog is in the habit
of sending out pressing invitations to neigh
boring owls and rattlesnakes to visit him
and even to spend the summer in his hos
pitable underground habitation. Later au
shors, however, take the ground that the
owls and snakes are intruders and not invi.
ed guests at all; that they just move in,
Mg and baggage, as it were, without
hadow of an invitation, and with superla-
i've cheek make rare feasts of the tender
iesh of the younger members of the Ludo-
'icianus family. This, however, may be
providential arrangement to prevent
,rairie dogs becoming too numerous, jus
IS it is providentially arranged for heron
md "fy-up-the-creeks to thin out the
adpoles, and the pale-faces to hold the
aboriginal red skins in check.
The most popular mode of capturing the
prairie dog is to inundate his residence
with water. 1t sometimes requires several
harrelsfull to persuade him to come to the
door. If you can kidnap an infant prairie
dog you can bring him up in the most ap
proved and orthodox manner, and develop
him into a nice, docile, little household
yet. Indeed, there is probably no Other
mall quadruped which has so much to
recommend it as u pet and fit associate for
FOUR wife and children rs the prairie dog.
de has more virtues and fewer vices than
the poodle, as he is addicted to no such bad
habits as harboring feas or hydrophobiP
about his person. Neither does he harbor
any malice or unreasonable prejudice
,gainst visitors, or the children of the
,ousehold, Us do some pet dogs. He does
not rotura tssssir enressrs with u sUratuil ur IL
bite, as the kitten or pet squirrel are some
times guilty Of doing he never sacks the
poultry house, as pet coon or tame fox is
likely to do. He has q dignifed yet friend
ly bearing toward all members of the house
hold, and treats visitors with due courtesy
He is not at all capricious in the matter Of
diet--his bill of faro covering almost af
wide range as that of the goat. His appe
lite for nuts, grain, potatoes, etc., is alwayf
good, and he il said TO have keen relsl
for raw wheat dough, thus saving the cool
the trouble of baking his biscuits. Being
entirely free from guile and sarcasm, he il
general favorite with all who know him
except the Western stockmen. They do
not accuse him of stealing cattle, but OF
destroying the range. He is so numerous
in the staked plains of Texas that it requires
great deal of grass to supply the daily
necessities of himself and family, and the
cattle and sheep men out there would ruth
lessly extermnate him, root and branch"
If they conld. There are several devices
Tor fumigating his apartments with brim.
stone smoke, and large numbers are annual
ly destroyed in this way; but, like the jacl
rabbit, he seems to become more prolif,
by persecution.