igS 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



September 2 



haps more, and small, inexperienced wood- 

 chucks begin to be frequently seen among 

 the second-growth clover, and are trouble- 

 some to the rural gardener and celery 

 planter. 



" In September the woodchuck sits by 

 his hole," says Schuyler Mathews, " the 

 perfect image of listlessness ; he is as ab- 

 solutely motionless as 'a bump on a log.' 

 Possibly he meditates upon the changing 

 aspect of nature; at any rate, he does not 

 move a muscle, and it is doubtful whether 

 his mind works. Approach him never so 

 silently and cautiously, and he pops in 

 without a preliminary movement. On 

 one occasion, though, I did actually see 

 him change his position before he disap- 

 peared. At first sight he was upright; 

 then, on my nearer approach, he dropped 

 horizontally, and when I got within ten 

 feet of him he was gone. Presently I 

 took a harmonicon from my pocket and 

 softly played upon it; being highly sus- 

 ceptible to the sweet influence of music, 

 he reappeared at his doorstep, and, with 

 a slight expression of disturbance on his 

 usually dull countenance, eyed me with 

 some curiosity and disapproval. I imag- 

 ined if he possessed the power of speech 

 he would have said, 'This may be quite a 

 clever performance, sir, but, on the whole, 

 I'd thank you not to disturb my autumn 

 reverie.' " 



Before the end of the month, however, 

 nearly all have disappeared, having gone 



September 3 



