^41 



ARCTOMYS MONAX (Linn^) (Schreber). 



THE GROUND HOG OR WOOD OBUCK, 



Specific Character. — Tai], with the hairs, about half as long as the body and 

 head, or a little less. Colour varying from nearly pure black all over, to grizzled 

 above, and bright chestnut red beneath. Feet always black, or dark brown. 

 Tail usually black, sometimes annulated grayish. Length 15 to 18 inches. Hind 

 foot over three inches. 



Habitat. — Eastern region of the United States and northward through 

 Ontario. 



Average Size. — Equal to that of a cat with short legs. 



Average Weight. — 8 pounds. 



Average Height. — 6 to 8 inches. 



Average Length. — 17 inches; nose to tail, 13 inches; tail, 4 inches. 



Value of Fur. — Valueless. 



The Ground Hog is common all over Ontario. In form it is thick and 

 clumsy, the neck being short and the head set apparently on the shoulders. The 

 head is broad and flat, legs short and thick, tail .short, full, and bushy, and some- 

 what flat. 



There is a shallow cavity between the jaw and check about half an inch in 

 depth which takes the place of an internal pouch. 



The whiskers are in five horizontal series on each side. There are about five 

 l-irfre hairs in each series, all however are short and do not extend back to the 

 ear. 



Another set of whiskers (four hairs in the set) is seen above the anterior 

 can thus of each eye, extending obliquely upwards and backwards. 



On each cheek again, and about as distant from the eye and ear as these are 

 from each other, is a clump of long hairs about five or six in number. 



There is also a tuft of bristles under the chin, as well as some scattered 

 shorter ones in advance of these and near the edge of the lip. 



The eyes are small and the ears very short. 



The feet are large, the palms and soles being entirely naked. The thumb of 

 the hand or forefoot is rudimentary, being little more than a wart, and but for 

 the broad short nail with its underlying pad would be scarcely appreciable. 



The predominant colour of the outer surface of the hair is black, but on the 

 shoulders, neck, cheeks, and the whole under parts, there is a distinctive grayish 

 white, and there is a distinct whitish ring round the muzzle. 



The ground hog is of no value as a fur bearing animal. 



It lives in burrows and passes the winter in a state of torpidity. Its food 

 consists of grass, clover, and grain. 



The female produces two or three young at a birth, in the month of June. 



