Wood Rat or Allegheny Cave Rat Neotoma pennsylvanica 



(From Rhoads' "Mammals of Penna. and New Jersey") 



caves or in rocky crevices. Occasionally it burrows into 

 the ground under the stump of a dead tree. The nest is 

 usually conspicuous because of its habit of placing all 

 sorts of objects about the entrance. Virtually, every 

 mountain cabin is inhabited by this curious creature 

 which seems to take delight in stealing objects which 

 could not possibly serve it in any way. Knives, forks, 

 spoons, nails and dozens of other articles, left lying 

 about a hunting lodge, or cabin, will disappear and a 

 careful search will reveal them to be hidden in all sorts 

 of places. Dr. Hornaday says that "Seemingly, its 

 chief object in life is to play practical jokes on man- 

 kind." One writer had his watch carried away by the 

 woodrat and recovered it in a nest the following sea- 

 son. On one occasion the writer, while camping in a 

 mountain bungalow, was awakened by a scraping noise. 

 A flashlight exposed a woodrat dragging one of his 

 bedroom slippers across the floor. 



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