320 



THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 



weeks of the year, there is the home of a member of 

 this family known from remote ages, the habits of 

 which, though resembling those of its previously de- 

 scribed relatives in all essentials, still differ in many 

 minor respects in consequence of the character of its 

 native country. 



Characteristics of The Common or Alpine Marmot 

 the Alpine {Arctomys marmoto) attains a total 

 Marmot. length of nearly twenty-five inches, 

 its body measuring not quite twenty and one-half 

 inches, its tail four and one-half inches, while its 

 height at the shoulders is ten inches. In appearance 

 and anatomical peculiarities it resembles its kindred. 

 The fur consists of a short woolly under coat and a 

 longer outer one; it is close, abundant and rather 

 long, its color on the upper surface being a more or 

 less brownish black, interspersed with a few whitish 



THE W00DCHUCK. This is a familiar American animal found in woods and forests of the 



northern Uni ted States and Canada. Its stout body and Mouse-like head are well shown iu the picture 

 which represents the animal amid appropriate surroundings. {Arctomys monax.) 



points on the top and back of the head; the nape 

 of the neck, the base of the tail and the whole 

 of the under surface are dark reddish brown, the 

 tint becoming lighter on the legs, the flanks and 

 jowls; the muzzle and feet are rusty yellowish white. 

 The eyes and claws are black, the front teeth are 

 brownish yellow. One may also find entirely black 

 or white individuals, or some that are spotted with 

 pearly white. 

 Bleak Retreat of Recent investigations have proven 

 the Alpine that the Common Marmot is con- 

 Marmot. fined to Europe. The high parts of 

 the Alps, Pyrenees and Carpathian mountains are 

 its favorite homes, and it generally selects the 

 meadows close to the line of perpetual snow, its 

 lowest point of habitation being the forest belt. It 

 selects for its haunts open spots, bounded all around 

 by steep, rocky walls, or small, narrow, deep valleys 

 between isolated peaks, spots lying as far as pos- 

 sible from human presence. The lonelier the moun- 

 tain, the more frequently is the Marmot found; and 

 where Man has redeemed the country from its orig- 



inal wildness the animal has usually become ex- 

 tinct. As a rule it chiefly affects the mountain 

 plains and slopes facing south, east and west, for, 

 like most animals of diurnal habits, it rejoices in the 

 rays of the sun. There it digs its burrows, some 

 small and simple, others deep and more intricate. 

 The former are intended to serve for summer, the 

 others for the winter; the first as shelter from tem- 

 porary danger and in bad weather, the latter from 

 the terribly severe winter, which in those regions 

 holds sway for six, eight or even ten months. 

 This remarkable creature hibernates and sleeps 

 throughout at least two-thirds of the year, and fre- 

 quently more; for at the extreme altitudes in which 

 it is found, its life and activity in the waking state 

 and outside of its burrow last scarcely as much as 

 one-sixth part of the year. 



Marmots Towards autumn 

 and Their Winter the Marmots dig 

 Quarters. their winter bur- 

 row, which is always situated lower 

 down on the mountain than the 

 summer retreat, which is sometimes 

 built as high as 8,000 feet above sea 

 level, while the winter burrow, as 

 a rule, lies in the locality of the 

 highest meadows, and often even 

 in the forest belt. When placed 

 low down it is designed to harbor 

 the whole family, of from five to 

 fifteen members, and is, therefore, 

 very spacious. The sagacious ani- 

 mals begin in August to bite off 

 grass, dry it and carry it to their 

 burrow in their mouths. They 

 amass such a quantity of grass 

 that often one Man cannot carry 

 it away at a single load. 



The Marmot's The movements of 

 Peculiar Move- the Marmot are re- 

 ments. markable, especial- 



ly the walk, which consists of a pe- 

 culiar waddle, with legs wide spread 

 and the body nearly or quite drag- 

 ging on the ground. I never saw 

 any Marmots which I kept in cap- 

 tivity jump: they are too clumsy. 



Fresh, juicy, Alpine plants, herbs 

 and roots form the food of the 

 Marmot. It seldom drinks during early summer; 

 when it does do so, it takes a great deal of water, and 

 it smacks its lips and lifts its head after every swal- 

 low like a Hen or a Goose. 



Hunting and Cap- The hunting and capture of Mar- 

 turing the Alpine mots present manifold difficulties. 

 Marmot. 'Yhe. approaching sportsman is nearly 

 always detected by a member of the colony, which 

 communicates danger signals to its companions by a 

 shrill whistle. Traps of various kinds are used to 

 catch Marmots and they are also dug out of their 

 burrows in the beginning of winter. In many cantons 

 of Switzerland the digging out of Marmots is legally 

 forbidden; for their complete extermination would 

 be accomplished in a short time by this proceeding, 

 while simple hunting is not very disastrous to them. 

 When pressed very hard, the Marmots defend them- 

 selves against their enemies with courage and resolu- 

 tion, biting strongly or using their vigorous claws. 

 A Marmot captured when young may be trained to 

 be so inoffensive and tame that it becomes a source 

 of amusement to both young and old, and its cleanli- 



