NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF LAKE MAXINKUCKEE 13 



to bask in the warm sun or to look about over the country. Again 

 late in the evening, between sundown and dusk, they come out 

 again to feed. Then they usually remain out until nearly dark when 

 they are apt to retire to their burrows. They are, however, to some 

 extent nocturnal and may remain abroad well into the night. 



The Groundhog is a pretty strict vegetarian, his food consisting 

 chiefly of red clover and the tender stems of grasses and other 

 plants. He will sometimes do damage to the young corn plants 

 and will, on occasion, feed upon the leaves of pumpkin, squash 

 and bean vines. They will sometimes visit the kitchen garden and 

 do more or less damage to the cabbage heads and celery. They 

 have also been known to visit apple orchards near their burrows and 

 feed upon such fruit as they could find on the ground. The only 

 real damage they do that is serious is that done to the clover-field; 

 all the rest is only occasional and may be regarded as negligible, 

 except perhaps the inconvenience caused by the holes they make 

 in the meadows and fields. 



Dr. Merriam has observed 1 that in the fall the Woodchucks tend 

 to leave the burrows in the open fields and go to those in the woods 

 in which they spend the period of hibernation, and our observa- 

 tions lead us to the same conclusion. Certain burrows in Walley's 

 and other woods which appeared to be deserted during the summer 

 showed evidences of being used early in the fall and those in the 

 fields had the appearance of having been abandoned in September 

 or early October. 



On May 3, one was observed sitting at the mouth of his burrow 

 which was under a large stump. One of us slipped up from the 

 opposite side, and, looking over the stump, watched him for some- 

 time at very close range. He was very quiet and seemed to be 

 looking out across the field. When a small object was dropped 

 upon his nose he quickly turned his head sidewise and looked up 

 with an expression of curiosity, if not astonishment, on his face. 

 Not until the observer moved did he become frightened, when he 

 quickly disappeared in the burrow. 



The Woodchuck produces 3 to 6 young in a litter, usually about 

 the last of April. We have some evidence indicating that two 



1 Mammals of the Adirondacks, p. 241. 



