1 52 MAMMALIA. 



half-grown chickens that had taken up their abode in the under- 

 brush back of my office, Dr. A. K. Fisher, who was with me at the 

 time, betook himself thither and much to his surprise found a 

 Woodchuck to be the cause of the disturbance. The animal was 

 chasing the fowls with much earnestness, and evidently meant to 

 catch one ; while the poor chickens, already well-nigh exhausted, 

 were straining every nerve to escape. Fearing that the beast 

 (which was a young and ambitious female) might propagate a race 

 of Woodchucks that would rank among the depredators of the 

 poultry )-ard, the Doctor brought the chase to an abrupt termina- 

 tion and added the rodent's skeleton to my osteological cabinet. 

 This is the only example that has thus far come to my knowledge 

 where a Woodchuck has pursued either bird or beast, and the 

 question may be fairly asked whether in this instance it purposed 

 to seize and devour the fowl, or, being of a jocose turn of mind, 

 was merely chasing it to see it run, just as a puppy would do under 

 similar circumstances. 



Dr. Godman, who once had a tame Woodchuck, speaks thus of 

 its habit of lugging various articles into its burrow : " Every thing 

 fit to make a bed of, that he could sfet at, was sure to be carried 

 under ground, and when clothes were missed, which had been hung 

 out to dry, it was only necessary to fasten a hook to a long stick 

 and draw them out of his burrow. When this was to be effected, 

 it was necessary to tie the Marmot up short, as he appeared to 

 understand perfectly what was to be done, and was by no means 

 willing that his bed should be rendered less comfortable. Although 

 he would not attempt to bite the person engaged in removing his 

 plunder, he would rush to the entrance and endeavor to make his 

 way in, as if to secure his prize, or remove it to a still greater dis- 

 tance. On one occasion he carried off and stowed at a distance of 

 six feet from the entrance, eight pairs of stockings, a towel, and a 

 girl's frock, and had he not been discovered in the act, would have 



