TV/ A" MOLE RAT. BO] 



Although it iseaMi\ tamed \\h--ii taken \..unir. it hardly repays tin- fp>nl.l of ita owner, UN it 

 i- , ( \<-\\ iiiiintellectual creatm.-. :ui'l is .-\.T too ready to Use ita powerful teeth ii]i the hand 

 of any \\- \\h may attempt to Inn-lie or caress it. Naturally it in H timid animal, but when 

 it fun!-. itself un:il>le to esca|>e, it turns to l>:iy and tight* mo*t .1 y l-y in.iiiw of the 



weajMUis with which its jaws are furnished. 



TIIK p'tiii- Vrciomys is represented in America l>y three species. Animals of this group 

 ore not found out of the northern and middle i>rtions of North America, Kuro|e and Asia. 



Tin- Woodchuck (Arcttrmys manax) is a moM familiar creature in our countryside. It IB 

 the legitimate gumeof theruml small boy. With \i\^ mongrel cur, to "dig out a Woodchu. -k," 

 our urchin is .-\.T ready to rush t< tin- ronllii-t. 



The generic term means literally Hear Mouse; so called. doubtless, on account of the 

 lxsir-like asiHH-t of tlif animal's li.-a-l. Tin- \\'oodchuck i often of considerable size, m-a.siir- 

 ing foiirtiN-n im-li.-s in l.-n^tli ; its tail, .-xdusivf of this, is hut four inches. 



This siMM-ifs is found from the Carol inas to Hudson's Bay, and from the Atlantic ntunt 

 to Missouri and \Vi-.i-onMn. It l)iirn>ws, forming large exruvutiuns iu which are stored ite 

 winter pmvisioii-,. 



It hilternate-, in the winter, after ra 'fully closing its burrow. This species resembles some- 

 what the KurojH-aii Marmot. 



The Korky Mountain Marmot i At <(>, n ; /xflat>lventor) was first described by Audubon and 

 Bachman in 1841, fnmi a s]-<-imen l.roiiirht fii>m California. It is, unlike the preceding, 

 alpine in habits. Its size is roiiM.|.-ral>ly mon- ; in some instances mca.snring eighteen inches 

 in length. The tail is longer, mea.suriiiLr to the tips of the hairs ten inches. Black specimens 

 are often seen. 



The Hoary Marmot (Arctomy* prninosv*\ called also the "Whistler," is the largest of 

 the species; its length being from twenty three to twenty live inches, the tuil IMMH^ nearly half 

 as long. 



The three species seem to be so distributed as not to encroach on the territory of each ; the 

 habitat ot this one being northward to the Arctic Circle, the Columbia River being ita southern- 

 most limit. 



Some interesting facts are known concerning the hibernation of the Woodchack, which 

 tend to invalidate the statement of earlier authors that the creature stores up provisions, 

 though the latter may be the case in the more southern portions of its hnhitnl. 



The common Woodchuck of our Eastern States retires to hibernate about the time of the 

 autumnal equinox, and, curiously, comes forth about the time of the vernal equinox. It is 

 singular tliat the creature should retire so early, when its favorite food, red clover, is in full 

 growth, and the weather usually fine for some weeks after this period. And it is equally 

 stranir- that the animal should come forth so early, when it is usual to see the ground covered 

 by snow, whep no green thing is to IH found near his haunts. 



Dr. Bachman, who wrote a portion of the work on mammals published by Audubon and 

 Bachman, marked a burrow in which he knew were two Woodchucks, a pair. Early in 

 November he had it opened, and found two Woodchucks lying coiled up close to each other in 

 a nest of dry grass, twenty-five feet from the entrance. They were perfectly dormant 



This Woodchuck gives birth to four or six young, about the last week in April. A branch 

 gallery is often seen in their burrows, which is used for depositing their dejections. This is 

 regarded as quite unique in the history of mammals. 



AT the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are grouped together 

 under the title of Aspahicidje, or Mole Rats, the word Aspalax, or Spalax, being the Greek 

 term for a mole. The in< i-or teeth of these animals are extremely huge, and project beyond 

 the lips. The external ears are either wholly wanting or are of very small dimensions. The 

 s are small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The body is heavily and 

 clumsily made, the tail is either very short or entirely absent, and the head Is large and 

 rounded. 



