THE CHIPMUNK 151 



riveted her gaze upon the squirrel. But the 

 latter would not be hypnotized; it shifted 

 Its position a few times and finally rniicklv 

 entered its den, when the cat soon slunk 

 away. 



In digging his hole it is evident tliat the 

 chipmunk carries away the loose soil. Xever a 

 gram of it is seen in front of his door. Those 

 pockets of his probably stand him in good stead 

 on such occasions. Only in one instance have 

 I seen a pile of earth before the entrance to a 

 chipmunk s den, and that was where the builder 

 had begun his house late in November and was 

 probably too much hurried to remove this u^dv 

 mark from before his door. I used to pass his 

 place every morning in my walk, and my eve 

 always fell upon that little pile of red, freshly 

 dug soil. A little later I used frequently to 

 surprise the squirrel furniching his house, carry- 

 mg in dry leaves of the maple and plane-tree 

 He would seize a large leaf and with both hands 

 stuff It into his cheek pockets, and then carry it 

 into his den. I saw him on several different 

 days occupied in this way. I trust he had se- 

 cured his winter stores, though I am a little 

 doubtful. He was hurriedly making himself a 

 new home, and the cold of December was upon us 

 while he was yet at work. It may be that he 

 had moved the stores from his old quarters 

 wherever they were, and again it may be that 

 he had been dispossessed of both his house and 

 provender by some other chipmunk. 



When nuts or grain are not to be had, these 



