NOTES BY THE WAY. 181 



the earth, but still the woodchuck from his outlook 

 reports " all right," when Cuff, having not twice as 

 far to run as the 'chuck, throws all stealthiness aside 

 and rushes directly for the hole. At that moment 

 the woodchuck discovers his danger, and, seeing that 

 it is a race for life, leaps as I never saw marmot leap 

 before. But he is two seconds too late, his retreat is 

 cut off, and the powerful jaws of the old dog close 

 upon him. 



The next season Cuff tried the same tactics again 

 with like success, but, when the third woodchuck had 

 taken up his abode at the fatal hole, the old churner's 

 wits and strength had begun to fail him, and he was 

 baffled in each attempt to capture the animal. 



The woodchuck always burrows on a side-hill 

 This enables him to guard against being drown e<? 

 out, by making the termination of the hole higher 

 than the entrance. He digs in slantingly for about 

 two or three feet, then makes a sharp upward turn 

 and keeps nearly parallel with the surface of the 

 ground for a distance of eight or ten feet farther, ac- 

 cording to the grade. Here he makes his nest and 

 passes the winter, holing up in October or November 

 and coming out again in April. This is a long sleep, 

 and is rendered possible only by the amount of fat 

 with which the system has become stored during the 

 summer. The fire of life still burns, but very faintly 

 and slowly, as with the draughts all closed and the 

 *shes heaped up. Respiration is continued, but at 

 'onger intervals, and all the vital processes are nearly 



