NATURAL HISTORY.

The Natural history of the regions traversed-Animal life on the deserts --Quadrupeds-Reptiles, their great variety and numbers-Peculiar vegetation of the deserts-The "Prairie Dog" and its habits-The antelope, etc.

HAVING but incidentally spoken of the Natural History of the countries I passed through, I now propose to give some brief notices of the most remarkable animals that were seen from time to time.

In a region as barren as the greater portion of that traversed, animal life would hardly be expected to abound. Nevertheless, there was no spot, however barren, or however distant from water, where rabbits and wolves were not seen. On these plains, whether desert or grassy, there are fewer birds. Often, for days together, nothing of the feathered tribe was seen except the omnipresent crow. Living equally well on animal food, seeds, or roots, there is no place where he may not thrive.

In the mountains and along the water-courses, where there are more or less forest trees and shrubbery, both quadrupeds and birds are found in greater variety. Among the former may be mentioned the leopard, cougar, ocelot, lynx, panther; the brown, black, and grizzly bear; the fox, antelope, and various kinds of deer; the large wolf (lobo), and the coyote, raccoon, skunk, marmot, weasel; a great variety of moles, rats, and mice,

which harbor in the ground; hares, rabbits, squirrels, Rocky Mountain sheep, etc. These several animals, of course, have their particular localities. The elk is not found south of the Gila. The beaver is still met with on the Pecos, the Rio Grande, the Gila and its northern tributaries; and within a mile of El Paso I saw evidences of his labors. In the Copper Mine region, which is in the Rocky Mountains, almost every animal that I have named may be found; bears in particular are extremely abundant.

But while the parched and desert plains are so destitute of quadrupeds and birds, they abound in reptiles and insects in the greatest variety. Lizards of every size and color, from one and a half to eighteen inches in length, are found here; all of which are harmless. Then comes the family of "horned frogs," which are allied to the chameleon and lizard. Of these harmless little creatures, all covered, as a means of defence, with sharp horny projections, there is also a great variety. Next to these, come the poisonous reptiles. First is the horrid tarantula, with his hairy body as large as a pigeon's egg, and with legs as long as one's finger, striding over the ground and nestling under one's blankets at night. His sting, or bite, sometimes causes death. His habitation is in the ground, the opening to which he covers over with a trap-door. There are other large spiders that also harbor in the earth, and protect the entrance to their abodes in the same manner. Next are the white and the black scorpions, the former of which are very abundant. These are from one and a half to two inches in length. The sting of the black variety is sometimes fatal. The white ones were often found in the boots of the men, into which they crept at night, and were not discovered until they stung the foot. A sharp pain was the consequence for a few hours, or perhaps a day, when it passed off. These creatures were sometimes found in our beds in the morning.

But perhaps there is no more hideous-looking reptile infesting the plains than the centipede. These are from three to ten

inches in length, and are exceedingly poisonous, sometimes fatal. Then there is the venagron, as the Mexicans call it, a black insect about two inches in length, also very poisonous; and lastly, the alacran, a species of scorpion, the most venomous of all. These last, fortunately, are chiefly confined to the city of Durango; where, owing to their numbers, and the fatality which attends their sting, a bounty of six cents is given by the government for every one killed. We close this catalogue with the rattlesnake, which needs no description. This creature is found every where, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific, alike in grassy, rocky, and desert regions. Hundreds of them were killed by our party; yet I am not aware that any of us were bitten. Two horses that were bitten died. All the other reptiles and insects of which I have spoken are found throughout the countries contiguous to the Boundary, and were seen almost daily. Thus has nature adapted a numerous class of animals for the otherwise solitary desert, where they enjoy undisputed sway. These plains also abound in moles, rats, mice, rabbits, and other burrowing animals; sometimes to such an extent, that it is dangerous to pass over them with horses and mules. Many specimens of the lesser mammalia were brought home by the Commission, as well as a collection of reptiles and insects. Of reptiles, a very large number was discovered which are entirely new. This collection is now in the cabinet of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.

One of the most interesting animals met with on the prairies and high table-lands, is the "prairie dog," which is in fact no other than a marmot, having no character in common with dogs. Its look and habits are totally different. The Canadian trappers used to call it a "petit chien ;" and this, together with the noise it makes, which however, is more of a chirp or yelp than a bark, has caused it to receive the name of 'prairie dog.'

The first community of these little creatures we met with was in Texas, near Brady's Creek, a branch of the Colorado

of the east. This was the largest we ever saw, nor have I ever heard of one as extensive. For three days we travelled through this colony, during which time we did not lose sight of them. On either side, as far as we could see over the plain, their habitations extended, standing out in bold relief in the little hillocks they had raised with the earth brought from their subterranean abodes. Their habitations are usually about ten yards apart, and the hillocks contain from one to two cartloads of earth each. Some have one entrance, others two, which incline at an angle of about forty-five degrees. To what depth they extend I could never learn, and only know that the frequent attempts to drown the animals out by pouring large quantities of water in them, have rarely succeeded.*

A well-beaten track extends from one to the other of these hillocks, showing that a close intimacy exists between their occupants, or perhaps family connection. We supposed this community or "dog-town," as it is called, extended at least sixty miles, as we travelled at that time twenty miles a day. As to its width, we could not form a decided opinion; but presuming it to have been only half as wide as it was long, an idea may be formed of the vast number of animals it contains.†

For the greater part of this distance the country was flat, and covered with short grass, kept so probably by these ani

* Lieutenant Abert mentions an instance where several were obtained by pouring water into their burrows. They afterwards became quite tame.— Report, p. 421.

If we suppose that this community extended fifty miles in one direction and but ten in another, we have a superficies of five hundred square miles; and allowing them to be thirty feet apart, or nine hundred square feet for each (a large allowance), it would give about thirty thousand habitations to the square mile, or 15,000,000 in the five hundred miles. Estimating but two of these little creatures, which is the smallest supposable number to a habitation, we have a total of thirty millions in this community. I think it would be quite safe to reckon three or perhaps four animals to each hillock.

mals feeding on it. A few scattered mezquit trees also grew among them. Rivers did not limit the colony; for they were found on both sides of several streams. In several places I noticed a colony on the summit of elevated plateaus or hills, where the country was exceedingly barren, and the herbage so scant as to appear entirely inadequate to their subsistence. In this case it was evident that the colony was not in a flourishing condition, as many of the habitations were deserted.

Of the habits of these animals I can say little from observation, although I saw thousands of them. I would gladly have taken a day to conceal myself near them for the purpose of watching their actions, but when in the most interesting places we were moving forward. Major Long, in his Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, says they pass the winter in a lethargic state. Other travellers deny this, and say that they come from their holes during the winter whenever the weather is mild. I saw them out on some pretty cold days in November. Even in the plains further to the north, where snow lies on the ground for weeks, and where the cold is severe, they are seen out during the winter.

Where they obtain water has puzzled naturalists. Some travellers say that they dig down until they find it. This cannot be the case; for I have seen them on dry elevated plains, twenty miles from water, and where there was no dew.

The color of the prairie dog is light brown. The lower part of its body, with the face and neck, are of a whitish yellow. Its size varies from that of a gray squirrel to that of a northern woodchuck, which it resembles in form more than any other animal. The body of a full-grown specimen is about twelve inches in length; its tail, which is bushy, between three and four. It stands erect like a squirrel, with its tail in constant motion, particularly when seated upon the top of its hillock chirping to its companions. As we drew near their villages, an alarm seemed to be given by one placed as a sentinel on a hillock in the outskirts. As soon as the signal