126 AUTUMN TIDES. 



selves in the earth. The woodchuck is in his hiber- 

 naculum, the skunk in his, the mole in his ; and the 

 black bear has his selected, and will go in when the 

 snow comes. He does not like the looks of his big 

 tracks in the snow. They publish his goings and 

 comings too plainly. The coon retires about the 

 same time. The provident wood-mice and the chip- 

 munk are laying by a winter supply of nuts or grain, 

 the former usually in decayed trees, the latter in the 

 ground. I have observed that any unusual disturb- 

 ance in the woods, near where the chipmunk has his 

 den, will cause him to shift his quarters. One Octo- 

 ber, for many successive days I saw one carrying into 

 his hole buckwheat which he had stolen from a near 

 field. The hole was only a few rods from where we 

 were getting out stone, and as our work progressed 

 and the racket and uproar increased, the chipmunk 

 became alarmed. He ceased carrying in, and after 

 much hesitating and darting about, and some pro- 

 longed absences, he began to carry out ; he had de- 

 termined to move ; if the mountain fell, he, at least, 

 would be away in time. So by mouthfuls, or cheek- 

 fuls, the grain was transferred to a new place. He 

 did not make a " bee" to get it done, but carried it all 

 himself, occupying several days, and making a trip 

 about every ten minutes. 



The red and gray squirrels do not lay by winter 

 stores ; their cheeks are made without pockets, and 

 whatever they transport is carried in the teeth. They 

 are more or less active all winter, but October and 

 November are their festal months. Invade some but> 



