SQUIRREL FAMILY 



199 



much like puppies or young foxes, but the 

 mother was careful meanwhile to keep them close 

 to the entrance of the burrow. Suddenly the 

 trained ear caught an unwelcome sound and she 

 hustled the little ones into the burrow and 

 quickly followed. They were scarcely safe when 

 a dog appeared over the knoll, running straight 

 for them. The cubs could have traversed but 

 a part of the tunnel before they heard the deep 

 breathing of the dog at the entrance of the 

 burrow. Their hearts must have beat fast from 

 the excitement and unusual exertion, but the 



lessons was 



were 



threatened danger from others that meant no 

 harm. One of the most important 

 on the nature of their natural foes. 



In early fall the young Woodchucks 

 nearly full grown. Their education was 

 plete, and the time drew near when they 

 find homes for themselves, either taking 

 serted burrow, or digging a new one, and settle 

 down to the serious business of life. 



Usually each young Woodchuck has a burrow 

 by itself, but sometimes a pair will live together 

 during the winter. From October to March, in 



corn- 

 must 

 a de- 



Phot 



. A. Lottridge 



WOODCHUCKS HIBERNATING 



A remarkable life photograph, in that it not only shows the actual animals asleep, but also that they may 

 hibernate in pairs, for warmth, instead of singly, as is generally supposed 



experience had added one more fact to their 

 first day's lesson, and they understood that there 

 were animals to be avoided in the strange outer 

 world they had just discovered. 



Their education progressed rapidly from day 

 to day. A part of it came through imitation of 

 their wonderful mother, but by far the greater 

 part came through instinct and experiences of 

 their own. They learned to tell the clover from 

 the plantain, and to know the grasses that were 

 good for food and medicine, from those that 

 must be let alone. They could distinguish among 

 the sounds that came to their ears, those that 



general, the ^^'oodchuck is said to " hole up " 

 or " den." This means passing the dreary 

 winter months of sleet and snow in the deep 

 sleep called hibernation. 



The \\'oodchuck is the only animal that has 

 been honored by a special day on our calendar. 

 "Ground Hog Day" (February 2) is so called 

 because of the popular belief that, on this day, 

 the animal takes its first weather observation 

 after its long winter sleep. If it sees its shadow 

 (that is, if the sun is shining) back it pops into 

 its hole, and Vv'e are in for six weeks more of 

 winter. S. A. Lottridge. 



