Identifier: commerceofpra02greg (find matches)
Title: Commerce of the Prairies; or, The journal of a Santa Fe trader, during eight expeditions across the great western prairies, and a residence of nearly nine years in northern Mexico
Year: 1850 (1850s)
Authors: Gregg, Josiah, 1806-1850
Subjects: Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) Southwest, New New Mexico Mexico -- Description and travel Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W, Moore
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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age, the little dogs maybe observed frisking about the streets—passing from dwelhng to dAvelling appa-rently on visits—sometimes a few clusteredtoo^ether as thoudi in council—here feed-ing upon the tender herbage—there cleansingtheir houses, or brushing the little hillockabout the door—yet all quiet. Upon seeinga stranger, however, each streaks it to itshome, but is apt to stop at the entrance, andspread the general alarm by a succession ofshrill yelps, usually sitting erect. Yet at thereport of a gun or the too near approach ofthe visitor, they dart down and are seen nomore till the cause of alarm seems to have dis-appeared. Two other animals appear to live in com-nnmion with the prairie dogs—the rattle-snakeand a small owl;^ but both are no doubt in-truders, resorting to these burrows for shelter,and to feed, it is presumed, upon the pupsof the inmates. * This has been called the Coquimbo oid. Its note, whethernatural or imitative, much resembles that of the prairie dog.
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mo o G a< O E- w s THE HORNED FROG. 231 Hattle-snakes are exceedingly abundantupon these plains : scores of them are some-times killed in the course of a days travel;yet they seem remarkably harmless, for I havenever witnessed an instance of a mans beingbitten, though they have been known to crawleven into the beds of travellers.^ Mules aresometimes bitten by them, yet very rarely,though they must daily walk over considera-ble numbers. The horned frog, as modern travellers havechristened it, or horned lizard.t as those ofearlier times more rationally called it, is themost famed and curious reptile of the plains.Like the prairie dog, it is only found in thedry regions, often many miles from water.It no doubt lives nearly, if not wholly, withoutdrink. Its food probably consists chiefly ofants and other insects; though many Mexi-cans will have it, that the camaleon (as theycall it) vice del aire—lives upon the air. Ithas been kept several months without par-taking of a particle of a

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