THE CHIPMUNK 23 



When nuts or grain are not to be had, these 

 thrifty little creatures will find some substitute 

 to help them over the winter. Two chipmunks 

 near my study were occupied many days in carry- 

 ing in cherry pits which they gathered beneath a 

 large cherry-tree that stood ten or twelve rods 

 away. As Nig was no longer about to molest 

 them, they grew very fearless, and used to spin 

 up and down the garden path to and from their 

 source of supplies in a way quite unusual with 

 these timid creatures. After they had got enough 

 cherry pits, they gathered the seed of a sugar 

 maple that stood near. Many of the keys re- 

 mained upon the tree after the leaves had fallen, 

 and these the squirrels harvested. They would 

 run swiftly out upon the ends of the small 

 branches, reach out for the maple keys, snip off 

 the wings, and deftly slip the nut or samara into 

 their cheek pockets. Day after day in late au- 

 tumn, I used to see them thus occupied. 



As I have said, I have no evidence that more 

 than one chipmunk occupy the same den. One 

 March morning after a hght fall of snow I saw 

 where one had come up out of his hole, which 

 was in the side of our path to the vineyard, and 

 after a moment's survey of the surroundings had 

 started off on his travels. I followed the track 

 to see where he had gone. He had passed 



