The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-16
A PRAIRIE DOG.

danger to the horses legs in crossing
these settlements, "some of which" adds
one chronicle, "were, we judged, ten
miles across" Perhaps the writer ex-
aggerated the distance, but certain it is
that thousands Of the lively little crea-
lures congregate and build their queer
homes. The excavations are thickly
scattered, and before each opening is a
little mound Of earth. This is the own
ers vine and fig tree, and he sits there in
the sunshine, tall and slender, with
dainty forepaws extended. chattering at
the rate of about 100 yaps minute. Il
one approaches him he will zap the
faster, schit, chit, chit, chit, chit" a
whirl, a dash, shower of fine sand or
gravel as the brisk hind legs fly out, and
he vanishes into the lower recesses OF his
retreat. Place your ear to the hole and
you hear him scurrying along far below.
He is safe from the world and all its
vanities and vexations - earthquakes,
floods and farmers excepted.
The prairie dogs burrow leaves the
surface of the ground at an angle of 45
dogs. and goes down an indefinite dis
lance. Those who have followed the
hole eight CT ten feet have not only
found no end, but have been able to
penetrate it as far as a 10-foot pole
would reach and still heard the inmate
laughing to himself farther down. 1t
is asserted that some of the holes in
each ''town" go down to water, and it
can well be believed, for frequently the
villages are located on the plains miles
from living stream.
So enterprising have the little crea-
lures proved that some western counties
have offered bounties for their scalps.
and thus their destruction has been
swift. For this reason, as well as be-
cause of the voluntary determination en-
tered upon by the settlers, the race is be-
ing rapidly exterminated, and the ami
mails will soon be even more desirable as
menagerie and museum attractions than
now. And even now he is great curl
osity to the little folks. He is always so
cunning, so lively and SO richly humor-
GUS. He seems always the clown of the
collection, chattering away and vigor-
ously shaking his stumpy tail at every
syllable. There seems a direct connec-
ton between his teeth and his tail that
impels simultaneous motion.
The popular belief that the prairie
dog, the owl and the snake form happy
family and live in sweet conteptment in
the dogs burrow is one Of the fallacies
of observation. The pictures represent
ing such a combination are the work OF
artists who never saw the prairie dog on
his native heath. The burrowing owl
md the snake would eat the young prairie
logs, and the snake would probably eat
The owl. In deserted dog holes the owl
unquestionably resides. and rattlesnakes
also confscate such burrows for homes.
but never do all three live together
The prairie dogs always choose dry
well drained locations for their towns.
and they have decided taste for corn
and wheat Grass and hay they nibble
like rabbits, and as pets they are per-
lection, being nimble. jolly and, as the
ladies say. "cute."
That they will increase in value rapid
ly owing to the effort made toward their
extinction Cannot be doubted. 1t will
not be long before there will be only
relics of the prairie dog as there are now
of those other queer earth jewellers of
the far west. the moundbuilders.
c. NJ HARaER.
Won want clean and reliable paper in you