WOODCHUCKS 



soars in even circles high above him he does 

 not fear, for he is too heavy to be carried 

 off as its prey. The big white owl he is not 

 afraid of for the same reason. Nor does he 

 fear dogs very much. 



It takes a good dog to kill a full-grown 

 woodchuck, for the beast will fight desper- 

 ately when cornered, and is so tough and ten- 

 acious of life that he will take a deal of 

 killing before he is really dead. Sometimes 

 it is a drawn battle between him and his 

 canine enemy, each combatant being quite 

 willing to creep off, with various deep bites 

 and scratches to remind him of the fray. 

 And yet the woodchuck, despite his rather 

 formidable appearance, is the most peaceful 

 of animals. He prefers very much the soli- 

 tude of nature and the beauties of field, wood, 

 and lake to a duel with the dogs. He is a 

 quiet citizen of hill-sides and pastures, and 

 were it not for man and man's prowling and 

 aggressive companion, the dog, his days would 

 flow along as smoothly as the sun slides into 

 the west, when twilight darkens down the 

 shadowy ways and beckons to night with a 

 veiled and mystic gesture. 



