148 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Courtesy of the United States Biological Survey. 



THE YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOT 



Figure 3. In this species the fur of the under parts is of a rich, golden 

 yellow; and withal it is a very handsome animal. It is found in 

 western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and northward. 



there he was again, looking out as saucy as ever. I final- 

 ly captured him by tying a Colt's revolver to a stout 

 stake driven in the ground within a few feet of the 

 burrow, and training the aim down the entrance. Then, 

 attaching a long string to the trigger, I waited behind 

 the wall till he again showed himself, when the success 

 of the device sealed his doom. I found, upon examina- 

 tion, that he had been "barked" in several places by rifle 

 balls, which included a long graze across one shoulder; 



Courtesy of the New York Zoological Society. 



AN EASTERN WOODCHUCK 



Figure . Here again the Woodchuck investigates. This time he can- 

 not see his shadow, and his attitude indicates that he. catches the 

 gentle air of settled spring time. He may now safely commence the 

 work f the mhd. 



the tip of his chin was gone, and his hair was parted 

 along the top of his cranium. 



Their heads make difficult shots at seventy-five yards 

 owing to their color being so much like the earth about 

 the burrow ; and I have always believed that they succeed 

 in dodging just a little bit at the flash. But this would 

 probably be out of the question with the best of small 

 calibre rifle nowadays. This woodchuck measured from 

 tip to tip twenty-two inches, and was the largest speci- 

 men I ever examined ; it was very dark in color, and, as 

 a matter of fact, they vary a great deal in that way; I 

 have shot some very light colored individuals notably 

 so for their under parts. The animal is never taken for 

 its fur, though I have heard that its hide, in former times, 



Courtesy of the New York Zoological Society. 



EASTERN WOODCHUCK, THE "GROUND HOG" 



Figure 4. If this he his first appearance above ground in the spring, 

 he will surely have to go back into his burrow for another six weeks, 

 as there is no question but that he can plainly "see his shadow." 

 So much for myth-lore and rural tradition. 



used to be cured for whip-lashes ; but personally I have 

 not known of their having been collected with the view 

 of thus utilizing them. 



' Woodchucks are very prone to sit up on their haunches 

 after the fashion of prairie marmots and spermophiles, 

 and to eat with their fore feet while in this attitude. 

 Farmers have, from the farmer's point of view, a good 

 right to be their enemies, as not only do they eat up 

 quantities of their clover, but tramp it down besides to 

 no little extent. Then, during their foraging excursions 

 at night when they really venture away from their bur- 

 rows for any distance they consume and destroy quan- 

 tities of young green corn and melons. 



These animals become enormously fat during October 

 in the Northern States, and take to the ground soon 

 thereafter for a period of six months, during which 

 time they enter into profound hibernation. They show- 

 no disposition whatever to live in companies like the 

 marmots of the Western prairies ; though, if I remember 



