they caught sight of him a grand scamper took place. We watched him skirting along the horizon like a privateer in full chase of a merchantman. At length he passed over the brow of a ridge, and down into a shallow valley; in a few moments he was on the opposite hill, and close upon one of the horses. He was soon neck and neck, and appeared to be trying to noose his prey; but they both disappeared again below the hill, and we saw no more of them. It turned out afterwards, that he had noosed a powerful horse, but could not hold him, and had lost his lariat in the attempt.

While we were waiting for his return, we perceived two buffalo bulls descending a slope towards a stream, which wound through a ravine fringed with trees. My young companion and myself endeavoured to get near them under covert of the trees. They discovered us while we were yet three or four hundred yards off, and turning about, retreated up the rising ground. We urged our horses across the ravine and gave chase. His immense weight of head and shoulders causes the buffalo to labor heavily up hill, though accelerating his descent. We had the advantage thereof, and gained rapidly upon the fugitives, but it was difficult to get our horses to approach them, their very scent inspiring them with terror. My friend, who had a double-barrelled gun loaded with ball, fired, but missed. The bulls now altered their course, and galloped down hill with headlong rapidity. As they ran in different directions, we each singled one and separated. I was provided with a brace of veteran brass-barrelled pistols, which I had borrowed at Fort Gibson, and which had evidently seen some service. Pistols are very effective in buffalo hunting, as the hunter can ride up close to the animal and fire at it while at full speed; whereas, the long heavy rifles used on the frontier cannot be easily managed, nor discharged with accurate aim from horseback. My object therefore was to get within pistol-shot of the buffalo. This was no very easy matter. I was well mounted on a horse of excellent speed

and bottom that seemed eager for the chase, and soon overtook the game; but the moment he came nearly parallel, he would keep sheering off, with ears forked and pricked forward, and every symptom of aversion and alarm. Of all animals, the buffalo, when close pressed by the hunter, has an aspect the most diabolical. His two short black horns curve out of a huge frontlet of shaggy hair; his eyes glow like coals; his mouth is open; his tongue parched and drawn up into a half crescent; his tail is erect, and the tuft is whisking about in the air: he is a perfect picture of mingled rage and terror.

It was with difficulty that I urged my horse sufficiently near; and when taking aim, to my chagrin, both pistols missed fire. Unfortunately the locks of these veteran weapons were so much worn that, in the gallop, the priming had been shaken out of the pans. At the snapping of the last pistol, I was close upon the buffalo, when, in his despair, he turned round with a sudden snort and rushed upon me. My horse wheeled about, as if on a pivot, made a convulsive spring, and, as I had been leaning on one side with pistol extended, I was all but thrown at the feet of the buffalo.

Three or four bounds of the horse carried us out of the reach of the enemy; who, having merely turned in desperate self-defence, quickly resumed his flight. As soon as I could gather in my panic-stricken horse, and prime the pistols afresh, I again spurred in pursuit of the buffalo, who had slackened his speed to take breath. On my approach he again set off, heaving himself forward with a heavy rolling gallop, dashing with headlong precipitation through brakes and ravines, while several deer and wolves, startled from their coverts by his thundering career, ran helter-skelter to right and left across the waste. Irving.

PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGES.

THE prairie dog, as it is called, though in fact it is no dog at all, but a marmot*, is certainly one of the most curious of the living creatures found in these regions. It was named dog by the old Canadian trappers, on account of its peculiar cry, somewhat resembling the bark of a small dog, and the name has continued in use to the present day.

The almost incredible extent of the settlements, or villages as they are called, of these peaceful little inhabitants of the earth, is appreciated when one finds that for days and days together one is travelling among small hills, every one of which marks an establishment of this kind. The single dwellings are generally eighteen or twenty feet apart, and the hillock at the entrance of each consists of a good waggon-load of earth, which has been gradually thrown up into the light of day by the little inhabitants in constructing their subterranean abodes. Some habitations have one, others two entrances, and the firmly trodden path leading from one to the other gives rise to the conjecture that relations of friendship must subsist among these lively little animals. Their choice of a site for their villages appears to be determined by the presence of a peculiar kind of short crisp grass, which flourishes on these elevated plains, and which forms their sole nourishment; and their populous republics† are to be found even on the lofty table lands of Mexico, in places where for many miles round there is not a drop of water, and where no rain falls for many months. Water can only be obtained there by digging to a depth of a hundred feet, so that it is to be presumed that the prairie dog does not need it, but is satisfied with the moisture afforded by an

* Marmot, a quadruped of the murine tribe (rats, mice, &c.).

† Republics, so named from the character of the animals' proceedings.

occasional heavy dew. The winter they doubtless pass in sleep, for they lay up no store for that season, and as the grass is withered in the autumn, and the ground afterwards hard bound in frost, they cannot obtain their food in the customary manner. When they feel that their sleepy time is approaching, which is commonly towards the last days of October, they close all the entrances to their abode to protect themselves against the winter's cold, and then settle themselves to their long sleep, and do not wake again till the warm spring days recall them to joyous life. The Indians say that the prairie dog does sometimes open the doors of its house during the cold weather, but that this is a sure sign of warmer days approaching.

A small species of burrowing owl is often found as a joint tenant of these subterranean dwellings, and appears to live on good terms with the small quadrupeds who inhabit them; but the owl is more common in the villages that have been abandoned by their original occupants. The prairie rattle-snake also sometimes introduces himself; but it is a great mistake to imagine, as has sometimes been done, that he comes as a friendly visitor; and when the unpleasant sound indicating the presence of the poisonous reptile is heard from one of the villages, you may be sure that if it had not been previously forsaken by its tiny population, the rattle-snake has either driven them out or devoured them.

These little colonies present a curious appearance if you can succeed in getting near before their sentinels have given the alarm. As far as the eye can reach there is a busy life and bustle going on; a little yellow brown personage, something like a squirrel, is sitting upon every hillock, with his little tail sticking up, and in everlasting motion, while thousands of small voices unite in chorus. But let the spectator make a few steps further and all life has vanished as if by enchantment-vanished from the surface, at least; but here and there you may see the head of a little scout

peeping out of a hole to reconnoitre, and by his defiant bark seeming to warn his fellows of the dangerous vicinity of man. If y you then lie down, and remain motionless, you will find that in a short time the sentinel will leave his post at the door to place himself upon the hill, continuing his barking—we may now presume to announce the more secure condition of public affairs. One citizen after another is then enticed out of the dark passages to the light, and the harmless bustle of the social creatures begins again. Sometimes you may see a steady-looking old fellow going to pay a visit to a neighbour, who receives him sitting upright upon his hillock, and wagging his tail; and then the two sit down together, and in the barking duet that follows doubtless communicate their reciprocal thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, after a little earnest conversation of this kind, they will retire into their dwelling, and then set out together on a walk - it may be to visit some relations; these meet with other promenaders, and loud salutations follow, and after awhile the party breaks up and everybody goes home. One may amuse one's self for hours in watching the curious ways of these creatures, and it is impossible to help desiring such an acquaintance with their language as might enable one to find out their retreats.

The prairie dogs venture fearlessly between the hoofs of the wandering buffalo; but the lightest movement of the hunter, who is watching them, is sufficient to send them all flying down into their subterranean retreats, though a sound of barking from below the ground, as well as the number of the forsaken hillocks, betrays the presence of the bustling little community.

Mollhausen.