The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-10
IN PRAIRIE DOG TOWN.
How the Curious Little Animals Don
struct Their Dwellings.
From the Washington Star.

BJruCC IDelr dwellings,.
From the Washington Star.
One OF the most interesting sights that
Rreets the eye of the overland traveller in
the west is the prairie dog and the prairie
dog towns. Perhaps nowhere can a more
strictly American characteristic be found
than these little four-footed animals that
are to be found IN colonies of thousands in
many localities throughout the great west.
To those of US here in the east they may
readily be compared to the common wood
chuck, resembling them both in structure
aud habits, although the dogs are of a de-
cidedly gregarious nature, while the
'chuchi" are only nominally so. Just how
the little fellows manage TO live is some
what of question, as they are usually
found in the very poorest sections of the
country, often miles from the water and
where very little grass or vegetable matter
is to be found. In fact, 1t Is a common
saying on the frontier that wherever dog
town exists 1t is a good country to keep
away from.
THEIR HABITS.
They are curious little animals, easily
alarmed, and the grotesque sight of thirty
or forty all diving into their burrows at
once is frequently witnessed. The first
thing that greets the visitor is a white spot
here aud there on the bare earth as he ap-
proaches the villsge-these are the old holes,
forsaken years ago-a little further and
rude misshapen mounds OF earth are found,
with partly filed burrows leading down
into their more recently abandoned dwell
ings and then the inhabited once. A bark
ing, scampering lot Of dogs welcome you,
and while some plunge at once out Of sight
others squat low down at the entrance and
while keeping up constant barking care
fully watch your movements.
THE RTTRROWa
Curious things these burrows. First a
mound of earth is thrown up, in the top OF
| which is the entrance from which the dirt
| comprising the mound is brought The
| opening descends at an angle of about As
| for two or three feet and then branches of
| at right angles, tunneling the earth in
various directions and often making reg
ular network of subterranean passages
| Occasionally, but not often. this angle is
much less, resembling the burrow of a
woodohuok for all the world. but l have
met with only few such, probably half
| dozen in all. At the mouth of the exoava-
ton the earth is beaten down hard, forming
| in some cases a rim, near which the owner
sits and barks from morning until night. IL
is useless to shoot one sitting thus, for even
| IL killed stone dead they manage to drop
back into the holes and out Of reach. while
| such thing as a wounded dog being capt.
ured is seldom heard OF.
When alarmed the dogs run for the near
| est burrow, three or four frequently diving
into the same one. This has given to many
the idea that several families live together,
but this idea is erroneous. Each pair ap-
| parently has its own burrow, and only in
| case of danger do they make use OF one In
common, when the nearest dwelling is a
common haven of refuge.
ANOTHER ERRONEOUS IMPRESSION
is that the rattlesnakes. dogs and a small
! burrowing owl that inhabits these villages
| dwell together in harmony. Travellers and
writers have told this for many years, but
recent Investigations have exploded this
pretty modern story OF the lion and the
| lamb.
10 begin with, the burrowing owl when
! free from intrusion will almost invariably
| be found In the old deserted burrows
already mentioned, and here when hungry
the rattesnakes repair, to feed on owls,
| young or old, that he may be able to secure.
! Naturally enough when alarmed all three
are apt to make for the same retreat. and
it is in such cases that they have been found
and the story circulated.
Prairie dogs are cunning little creatures, ,
make amusing and interesting PETS as they
are easily tanned and can be taught to do q
few tricks, while to the hungry man they
are not unpalatable as an article Of food 4,
and even pronounced quite tender and
delicate by some.
In Shackeford county, Texas. about
fifteen miles northwest of Albany, is an Inn
mense colony, extending for miles and cover
ing hundreds of acres Of otherwise barren
ground. while near Albany approaching
from the southwest UP to within mile of
the town is "a colony even larger. A good
idea OF prairie dog town can be obtained
from the luclo ,ure at the Geological park,
although here the animals are not in their
native element and, of course, show to dis
advantage Here they are tame while there
it is difficult to approach within thirty or
forty yards