Common Chipmunk 353 



ous starts and precipitous retreats, till finally, making a bold 

 rush, he dashes by the object of his dread, and in another 

 instant is peering out from a hole beneath the roots of a neigh- 

 bouring tree. 



''Though a very inquisitive creature, this habit does not 

 seem to be attributable to curiosity alone, but rather to the 

 same reckless foolhardiness that prompts the small boy to 

 cross and recross the road in front of a swiftly advancing 

 carriage or locomotive,'* 



Although at home among tangled underbrush and log 

 heaps, the Chipmunk is a poor climber compared with the 

 Red-squirrel. It seldom goes far from the ground, and never 

 for sport. It usually climbs for food or for refuge. 



Regarding this point, Kennicott says:^* 



"Dr. Hoy informs me that he once observed a number of 

 Chipmunks climbing the bushes of the prickly ash {Xanthoxy- 

 lum americanum) to obtain the berries, which they were carry- 

 ing to their burrows in considerable quantities. At another 

 time, he saw one repeatedly climb a hickory and cut off the un- 

 ripe nuts, which were brought to the ground, and, while yet 

 covered with the green pericarp, placed in a hole at the root of 

 the tree which, however, was not its burrow; and he was told 

 that the same individual was noticed to carry away nuts in this 

 manner for some days. Though this species does not generally 

 climb trees, except when pursued, I am inclined to think it 

 does so voluntarily more frequently than is supposed." 



Merriam records having seen Chipmunks gathering beech 

 nuts at a height of sixty feet up the trees, and W. Brewster 

 writes me: "I saw one in Concord last June (1904) climb an 

 elm fifty feet in height to the very topmost slender spray, where 

 it remained several minutes eating elm seeds. I have never 

 before known a Chipmunk essay such a feat of tree climbing." 



I have several times seen the same thing at lesser heights, 

 and commonly found the individuals immature. If, when pur- 

 sued, they cannot find a hole, they commonly scramble up a 

 tree, but are then far from being at home, and soon make up 



"Quad.Ill, i857,p. 71. 



