CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 7. RODENTIA 



359 



WOODCHUCKS. 



The Long-tailed Marmot, A. caudatus, says Gervais, is found in Asia, in the valley of the 

 Gombour ; Jacquemont met with it seventeen thousand feet above the level of the sea. It makes 

 its burrows, which usually open among the rocks, in countries well stocked with vegetable pro- 

 ducts. Here it accumulates great quantities of dried herbage, which serves it for food during its 

 winter confinement, the first and latter part of which it is not probably dormant. When it comes 

 forth, in the spring, it is observed to be very lean. 



The Maryland Marmot, or Woodchuck, has had the usual honor bestowed on the noto- 

 rious — that of receiving various popular names, to which may be added, in this case, an 

 equal variety of scientific names. In Canada, it is called Ground Hog, Siffleur, and sometimes 

 Marmot ; in Hudson's Bay, Thick-ivood, Badger ; Tarbagan, by the Russians of Russian America ; 

 Weenusk, by the Crees, and Kath-hilloc-lcooay, by the Chippeways. Linnaeus called it Mas 

 Mona.x ; Buff on, Marmotte de Canada ; Pennant, Quebec Marmot ; Pallas, Mus Empetra ; 

 Goodman, Richardson, and others, Arctomys Empetra, wdiich is its present accepted scientific 

 designation. Woodchuck is the popular title throughout the United States. 



Despite this multiplicity of titles, this animal is not particularly interesting in its character.- It 

 resembles the Alpine Marmot, though it is somewhat larger. It is, however, destitute of the 

 amusing qualities of that species ; it is not easily tamed, and, under all circumstances, is a rather 

 surly creature. The body is thick and squat, and the legs so short that the belly seems to graze 

 the ground. The size varies from sixteen to twenty inches, eighteen being the average ; the tail 

 is four inches. The color also differs in different specimens ; the body being generally brownish- 

 gray above, and reddish-brown below. The head, tail, and feet are blackish-brown ; the nose and 

 cheeks ashy-brown. They are fond of sitting erect on their haunches, letting their fore-feet hang 

 loosely down. They maintain an erect position in feeding, bending the head and neck forward 

 and sideways. They remain the greater part of the day asleep in their burrows, occasionally. 

 however, coming out and looking around. In the evening, they go forth and feed on grass of 

 different kinds, fruits, and vegetables. In Xew England, they are common among the cultivated 

 grounds, and do much damage in the clover-fields, not only eating the grass, but-treading it down ; 

 , they often. make great havoc among the pumpkins and the Indian corn when it is in the milk. 

 From three to eight young are produced at a time; they advance rapidly, and in three weeks 

 may be seen playing around the burrows. 



The woodchuck is not often found very far from his burrow in the daytime. When thus sur- 

 ' prised, he runs very fast, and if not seriously frightened, stops, and perhaps squats on the ground. 



