The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-12-08
PRAIRIE DOGS.

faturat Habits of the Cyn0m0us
I.udovicianus and His Home.
The Cynomus Ludovicianus 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 ssMajor" or Colonel
The people out West call him simply TIN
prairie dog The canine cognomen il
entirely mai q prop0s, as the French say,
and, could the frisky little creature to
whom it is applied talk United States,
prairie squirrel" would be much more
appropriate designation for Mr.. c. Ludo-
tcianus, of natural history and the great
Southwest. He resembles fox squirrel in
general appearance more than anythn!
Use. The only thing at all doglike abon
lin is his little, short, quick bark. Instea,
If the long and pretty caudal brush of the
'ox squirrel, he has a short stumpy tail
which vibrates with great agility rs he darts
Town into his subterranean domieile upon
The approach of man or other supposed
enemy. | 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
capturing him. As rule it is somewhat
iifficuit to make feast OF any animal unu
is fist caught, and the prairie dog is NJ
Exception to the rule. He seems to b,
onscientiously opposed TO furnishing thu
laterial for mans carnivorous consump-
alA Co.
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
;hors, however, take the ground that Tn,
Evils and snakes are intruders and not invi
ed guests at all; that they just move in,
nag and baggage, as it were, without q
-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 preven
,rairie dogs becoming too numerous, jus
IS it is providentially arranged for heron
nd "fy-up-the-creeks to thin out tn.
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
barrelsfull to persuade him to come to the
door. If you can kidnap an infant prairie
dog you can bring him up in the most APP
proved and orthodox manner, and develop
lim into a nice, docile, little household
,et Indeed, there is probably no othei
mall quadruped which has so much to
recommend it as pet and fit associate for
Jour wife and children as the prairie dog.
He has more virtues and fewer vices than
the poodle, rs he is addicted to no such bad
habits as harboring feas or hydrophobie
about his person. Neither does he harbor
any malice or unreasonable prejudice
,gainst visitors, or the children of the
household, as do some pet dogs. He does
not return their caresses with a scratch or
bite, as the kitten or pet squirrel are some
times guilty of doing he never sacks the
poultry house, as n pet coon or tame fox is
likely to do. He has dignifed yet friend
IL 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 fare covering almost as
wide range as that of the goat. His appe
tite for nuts, grain, potatoes, etc., is always
good, and he is said to have a keen relisl
for raw wheat dough, thus saving the cool
the trouble of baking his biscuits. Being
entirely free from guile and sarcasm, he is
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 80 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 exterminate him, g root and branch, :"
Il they could. 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 profit,
oy persecution.