a wild, frolicsome set of fellows when undisturbed, restless, and ever
on the move. They seem to take especial delight in chattering away the
time, and visiting about, from hole to hole, to gossip and talk over one
another's affairs; at least, so their actions would indicate. Old
hunters say that when they find a good location for a village, and no
water is handy, they dig a well to supply the wants of the community.

On several occasions I have crept up close to one of their villages,
without being observed, that I might watch their movements. Directly in
the centre of one of them I particularly noticed a very large dog,
sitting in front of his door, or entrance to his burrow, and by his own
actions and those of his neighbours, it really looked as though he was
the president, mayor, or chief; at all events, he was the "big dog" of
the place.

For at least an hour I watched the movements of this little community;
during that time, the large dog I have mentioned received at least a
dozen visits from his fellow-dogs, who would stop and chat with him a
few moments, and then run off to their domiciles. All this while he
never left his post for a single minute, and I thought I could discover
a gravity in his deportment not discernible in those by whom he was
addressed. Far be it from me to say that the visits he received were
upon business, or having anything to do with the local government of the
village; but it certainly appeared as if such was the case. If any
animal is endowed with reasoning powers, or has any system of laws
regulating the body politic, it is the prairie dog.

In different parts of the village the members of it were seen
gambolling, frisking, and visiting about, occasionally turning heels
over head into their holes, and appearing to have all sorts of fun among
themselves. Owls of a singular species were also seen among them; they
did not appear to join in their sports in any way, but still seemed to
be on good terms, and as they were constantly entering and coming out of
the same holes, they might be considered as members of the same family,
or, at least, guests. Rattlesnakes, too, dwell among them; but the idea
generally received among the Mexicans, that they live upon terms of
companion ship with the dogs, is quite ridiculous, and without any
foundation.

The snakes I look upon as _loafers_, not easily shaken off by the
regular inhabitants, and they make use of the dwellings of the dogs as
more com