Woodchuck 425 



accumulations of the animars excrement, and in one case I 

 removed fully half a bushel from a single mound."' 



These midden-heaps of the Woodchuck are likely to 

 furnish much light on the history of the individual, just as the 

 midden-heaps of the Paleoliths are our principal histories of 

 their makers. Every scrap of bone or undigested food will 

 tell a little story to those who can read such things. 



In a nest of the long burrow, Fisher found the skull of a 

 Woodchuck. 



''This find appeared to contradict the assertion by a 

 farmer that Marmots would never live in a burrow where a 

 Marmot had died."^° 



All the evidence at hand goes to show that the Woodchuck mating 

 pairs. It is the testimony of nearly all observers that one or 

 else two old Woodchucks (never more) are found in each home 

 den. Usually two are seen in early spring, and when the allure- 

 ments of the love season are over, the male — in most cases — 

 goes forth to other scenes, though probably not to another mate. 

 This is an inferior but popular style of monogamy. Pleasant 

 variations of it are occasionally seen. Some Woodchuck 

 fathers actually seem to stay, or return home, and divide with 

 the mother the care of the young. 



The mating ceremonies are believed to take place about the 

 middle of March, that is, as soon as the waning of winter sets 

 the Woodchucks free to assume active life; and the tracks on 

 the snow — if there be any at this time — show that the males 

 make many and long journeys from home, are indeed greatly 

 concerned on some special and important business on hand — 

 what can it be, if not the all-important business of perpetuating 

 their race } 



There is, however, some evidence that the pairing takes 

 place in the fall. First, it is often the recurrent sex-instinct 

 that quenches the mother love, and drives the young forth to 

 begin life for themselves; and the young Woodchucks do quit 

 home in late summer and go forth to seek their fortunes else- 



'Mam. Adir., 1884, p. 246. '"Loc. cit., p. 115. 



