Family arctomid.c 69 



and exterior of ihe tliiglis. Suniniil of the liead, spaces round the eyes, and on tlie rump and 

 tail, dark brown ; chin, space around the nose, and a few scattering hairs at the internal base 

 of the ears and over the eyes, grey. Tlu-oat, abdomen and superior parts of the extremities 

 with long, shaggy, bright reddish liairs. Feet dark brown, approaching to black. Ears witii 

 sparse hairs on both sides, projecting beyond the margins. A few of the black whiskers, and 

 those above the eyes, extend as far as the ears. Tail deep brown, with a shade of dark rufous. 



Length of head, 4' 5. Length of fore claw, 0-G. 



Ditto of body, IS" 5. Ditto of hind claw 0-5. 



Ditto of tail (vertebne),.. 5 "5. Height of car, O'tt. 



Ditto, including fur, 7-3. Width of ditto, ■ S. 



Height, 7-0. (Jirtli of body, Ki-O. 



The young exhibit great varieties in their markings. Three apparently not fully grown 

 woodchucks, which I obtained from the hemlock forests about Oneida lake, and wliich were 

 taken from the same burrow, and measured from 10-11 inches in the length of their head 

 and body, exhibited the following appearances : 



No. 1. All the upper parts of the body and tail rufous, varied with gi'cy ; beneath briglit 

 rufous. 



No. 2. Uniform jet black above and beneath, except the space surrounding the chin and 

 mouth, which was cinereous grey. 



No. 3. Summit of the head, posterior portion of the back and tail dark brownish. Throat, 

 sides of the neck, anterior part of the back, the foreshoulders and flanks, grizzled with long 

 lioary hairs. Beneatli, bright fulvous. Tail dark brown above and beneath. 



Tiie Woodchuck, or Ground-hog, as it is sometimes called, is common in almost every 

 county in the State. In some places it appears to select pine forests for its abode ; and in 

 others, it appears to prefer cleared lands and old pastures. It feeds on clover and other suc- 

 culent vegetables, and hence is often injurious to the farmer. It is said to bring forth four or 

 five young at a litter. Its gait is awkward, and not rapid ; but its extreme vigilance and 

 acute sense of hearing prevent it from being often captured. It forms deep and long burrows 

 in the earth, to which it flies upon the least alarm. It appears to be social in its habits ; for, 

 upon one occasion, we noticed some thirty or forty burrows in a field of about five acres. 

 These burrows contain large excavations, in which they deposit stores of provisions. It 

 hybernates during the winter, having first carefully closed the entrance of its burrow from 

 within. It is susceptible of domestication, and is remarkable for its cleanly habits. Its 

 cheeks are susceptible of great dilatation, and are used as receptacles for the food which it thus 

 transports to its burrow. Its range, as far as we have been enabled to ascertain, is from 

 Maine to Carolina. It probably extends through the western States. 



We have never seen the Quebec Marmot noted beneath, although we have heard that it has 

 been found in this State. We find no specific diflierence between it and the woodchuck, 

 except in the color. From the description given by Richardson, which is the most recent and 

 complete, it bears a great resemblance to No. 3 noted above. 



