WOODCHUCKS AND PORCUPINES 



149 



correctly, their northwestern relatives, the hoary mar- 

 mots, thus congregate sometimes as many as thirty or 

 forty being found in the same community. Woodchucks, 

 when pressed, are very good runners, their squat appear- 

 ance reminding one somewhat of a badger, and, like that 

 animal, they will bite severely if captured by the hand. If 

 cornered in a wall they will chatter and grunt, occasion- 

 ally giving vent to a loud and peculiar whistle-like squeal, 

 from which they get the name bestowed upon them by 

 the Canadian French of Siffleur the whistler. Upon 

 several occasions I have seen woodchucks climb a tree, 

 and if they can by so doing reach a large, horizontal 

 limb, they will stretch themselves out upon it for a noon- 

 day sun-bath. 



Woodchucks are not nearly as numerous as they form- 

 erly were; though, notwithstanding the persistent war- 



Courtcsy of The University Society, Inc. 



AS SNUG AS TWO BUGS IN A RUG 



Figure 6. It is a well-known {act that the eastern Woodchuck occa- 

 sionally hibernates in pairs. This remarkable photograph from life by 

 S. A. Lottridge proves it. 



fare against them by farmers and others, there seems to 

 be no immediate danger of their total extermination. 

 However, in some regions they have been entirely- 

 shot out. 



Although it is an established fact that woodchucks 

 will climb trees for various purposes, it will not come 

 altogether amiss, I think, to offer some testimony here 

 on this point. From this, as well as from my personal 

 observation, I am convinced that these animals climb 

 trees from a certain sciurine or squirrel propensity that 

 at times impels them to do it; they climb trees for the 

 pleasure of securing an elevated and unusual position in 

 which to enjoy a sun-bath; they climb to obtain food, 

 such as ripe peaches, of which they are very fond, and 

 they will climb a tree when hotly pursued and badly 

 frightened by an enemy, especially if the tree is con- 

 venient one within their ability to ascend and they 

 have been cut off from reaching their burrows. I have 

 never known a woodchuck to run up a tree in order to 

 gain a higher point of observation than the ground 



THE SKULL OF A PORCUPINE 



Figure 7. Photograph by the author of a specimen loaned him by the 

 United States National Museum. Jaw dissociated. Carefully compare 

 with the skulls shown in Figure 8. Note the powerful incisor teeth, two 

 in each jaw. 



afforded him, when the approach of an enemy has been 

 or is suspected, as squirrels so often do. A correspond- 

 ent of Friendship, New York, wrote me a letter on the 

 subject, in which he stated that "woodchucks do climb 



SKULLS OF WOODCHUCK (upper) AND PORCUPINE COMPARED 



Figure 8. Photographs by the author of specimens loaned by the 

 United States National Museum. Dr. S. E. Hall collected the Wood- 

 chuck in New York State in 1856, and Mr. H. L. Barber the Porcupine 

 in Fosterville, Wisconsin, in 1907. The teeth of these animals will bear 

 careful study; note the functionless. disappearing anterior tooth in the 

 upper jaw of the woodchuck. 



