Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River [Récit d'un voyage à travers les Montanges Rocheuses jusqu'à la rivière Columbia].

Résumé

Electronic edition: Specimens taken by Townsend were an important contribution to the work of Audubon. Arctomys = Spermophillus.On the morning of the 24th of May we forded the Platte river, or rather its south fork, along which we had been travelling during the previous week. On the northern side, we found the country totally different in its aspect. In the evening we arrived upon the plain again; it was thickly covered with ragged and gnarled bushes of a species of wormwood, (Artemesia) which perfumed the air, and at first was rather agreeable. The soil was poor and sandy, and the straggling blades of grass which found their way to the surface were brown and withered. Here was a poor prospect for our horses; a sad contrast indeed to the rich and luxuriant prairies we had left. On the edges of the little streams, however, we found some tolerable pasture, and we frequently stopped during the day to bait our poor animals in these pleasant places. We observed here several species of small marmots, (Arctomys) which burrowed in the sand, and were constantly skipping about the ground in front of our party. The short rattlesnake of the prairies was also abundant, and no doubt derived its chief subsistence from foraging among its playful little neighbors. Shortly before we halted this evening, being a considerable distancein advance of the caravan, I observed a dead gopher, (Diplostoma) -a small animal about the size of a rat, with large external cheek pouches, lying upon the ground; and near it a full grown rattlesnake, also dead. The gopher was yet warm and pliant, and had evidently been killed but a few minutes previously; the snake also gave evidence of very recent death, by a muscular twitching of the tail, which occurs in most serpents, soon after life is extinct. It was a matter of interest to me to ascertain the mode by which these animals were deprived of life. I therefore dismounted from my horse, and examined them carefully, but could perceive nothing to furnish even a clue. Neither of them had any external or perceptible wound. The snake had doubtless killed the quadruped, but what had killed the snake? There being no wound upon its body was sufficient proof that the gopher had not used his teeth, and in no other way could he causedeath.