Our Pet Chipmunk Uncas and His Relatives 



Jay R. Traver 

 Willoughby, Ohio 



One of the most interesting subjects in the whole field of nature- 

 study is that of the adjustment of different animals and plants for 

 the particular mode of life they lead. Not the least interesting of 

 the many groups which may be studied in this connection are the 

 smaller mammals, many of them familiar inhabitants of our fields 

 and woods. 



Chipmunks are quite common in many places, and make 

 engaging Uttle pets, being easily tamed with a small amount of 

 effort. The chipmunk is usually seen on or near the groimd, 

 although he is quite capable of climbing. He does not, however, 

 feel so completely at home in the tree-tops as his close relative the 

 squirrel; on a wHndy day when the branches are blowing uildly 

 about, the chipmunk clings close to the branch and ventures out 

 for nuts with many signs of cafe and hesitation in his manner. 

 Meantime the squirrel vnW swing carelessly from tree-top to tree- 

 top, apparently quite heedless of the wild commotion around him. 

 When chipsy does venture to get a nut, he carefully sidles down the 

 branch again, removes the shell and quickly stuffs the kernel into 

 his cheek pouch. 



A tame chipmunk is a very interesting little pet, from which 

 many instructive lessons may be learned. From the study of one 

 little fellow called Uncas, these observations were made: The 

 chipmunk is a rodent ; that is, his teeth are fitted for gnawnng, the 

 front ones or incisors, being the most prominent ; Uncas ate a great 

 variety of food, including bird seed, breakfast foods of uncooked 

 sorts, toast, orange, apple and nuts of many sorts. He was kept in 

 a large squirrel cage for convenience in studying his habits, and 

 seemed very much at home in his strange dwelhng place. A mail- 

 ing tube fastened across one side of the cage was his bed. Two 

 holes had been cut on the upper side, one near each end; these 

 holes served as entrance and exit, tho Uncas generally kept one hole 

 blocked up and had but one entrance. When tired he would run 

 qiiickly into the tube, which was partly filled with cotton for his 

 bed, seize a bit of cotton in his mouth, come out again with it, and 

 almost at once dive down again into his tube, then for a few seconds 

 there would be mviffled shuffling and scratching heard, from inside 



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