/^urroTi'S of (he .liiirrican iMariiioi. 1 17 



bottom of the liole. He continued a succession of these 

 operations, thus partly filling the hole. vSee sketch No. 2. 

 In half a minute more the hole was completely closed. See 

 sketch No. 3. After a few minutes, I cut the holes open again 

 by spading down. In doing this, I observed an interesting 

 fact, viz.: the earth filled in by the marmot was packed very 

 hard, and the line of juncture between the earth he filled in 

 and the natural earth around his burrow was almost indis- 

 cernible. By spading away the earth he filled in, and cutting 

 back the burrow a little and then resting, we had the pleasure 

 of witnessing him repeat the operation of closing the burrow 

 in front of himself and in front of us. Not only did I and 

 the workmen then watch him, but others, including ladies 

 and guests from the house, had the pleasure of observing the 

 industry and rapid and effective operation of the marmot in 

 closing the unexpected opening made in his burrow. 



I am satisfied that the marmot will shut himself in a por- 

 tion of his burrow, when he has reason to believe that those 

 following him in his burrow by digging it open are likely to 

 reach him. This fact is proven by the history of the first 

 excavation cited in this paper, in the corn field, where the 

 marmot went into a side branch of the burrow, closed up the 

 entrance, and we following the main burrow, dug past it and 

 did not discover it, and on reaching the end of the main bur- 

 row, gave up the search. After we left, and before we revisited 

 the excavation the next day, the marmot dug out the earth 

 with which he had closed the mouth of the branch burrow 

 and came out of it and escaped, and in so doing left open the 

 branch hole wherein he had previously lain secure. 



The following tables are composed of measurements and 

 averages. The measurements are matters of fact, and must 

 stand. The averages are tentative, and subject to change, if 

 required by subsequent investigation of additional burrows. 



