THE MOLE RAT. 501 



Although it is easily tamed when taken young, it hardly repays the trouble of its owner, as it 

 is a very unintellectual creature, and is ever too ready to use its powerful teeth upon the hand 

 of any one who may attempt to handle or caress it. Naturally it is a timid animal, but when 

 it finds itself unable to escape, it turns to bay and fights most desperately by means of the 

 weapons with which its jaws are furnished. 



The genus Arctomys is represented in America by three species. Animals of this group 

 are not found out of the northern and middle portions of North America, Europe and Asia. 



The Woodchuck {Arctomys monax) is a most familiar creature in our countryside. It is 

 the legitimate game of the rural small boy. With his mongrel cur, to " dig out a Woodchuck," 

 our urchin is ever ready to rush to the conflict. 



The generic term means literally Bear Mouse ; so called, doubtless, on account of the 

 bear-like aspect of the animal's head. The Woodchuck is often of considerable size, measur- 

 ing fourteen inches in length ; its tail, exclusive of this, is but four inches. 



This species is found from the Carolinas to Hudson's Bay, and from the Atlantic coast 

 to Missouri and Wisconsin. It burrows, forming large excavations in which are stored its 

 winter provisions. 



It hibernates in the winter, after caref idly closing its burrow. This species resembles some- 

 what the European Marmot. 



The Rocky Mountain Marmot {Arctomys flaviventor) was first described by Audubon and 

 Bachman in 1841, from a specimen brought from California. It is, unlike the preceding, 

 alpine in habits. Its size is considerably more ; in some instances measuring eighteen inches 

 in length. The tail is longer, measuring to the tips of the hairs ten inches. . Black specimens 

 are often seen. 



The Hoary Marmot {Arctomys pruinosus), called also the "Whistler," is the largest of 

 the species ; its length being from twenty-three to twenty-five inches, the tail being nearly half 

 as long. 



The three species seem to be so distributed as not to encroach on the territory of each ; the 

 habitat of this one being northward to the Arctic Circle, the Columbia River being its southern- 

 most limit. 



Some interesting facts are known concerning the hibernation of the Woodchuck, which 

 tend to invalidate the statement of earlier authors that the creature stores up provisions, 

 though the latter may be the case in the more southern portions of its habitat. 



The common Woodchuck of our Eastern States retires to hibernate about the time of the 

 autumnal equinox, and, curiously, comes forth about the time of the vernal equinox. It is 

 singular that the creature should retire so early, when its favorite food, red clover, is in full 

 growth, and the weather usually fine for some weeks after this period. And it is equally 

 strange that the animal should come forth so early, when it is usual to see the ground covered 

 by snow, when no green thing is to be found near his haunts. 



Dr. Bachman, who wrote a portion of the work on mammals published by Audubon and 

 Bachman, marked a burrow in which he knew were two Woodchucks, a pair. Early in 

 November he had it opened, and found two Woodchucks lying coiled up close to each other in 

 a nest of dry grass, twenty-five feet from the entrance. They were perfectly dormant. 



This Woodchuck gives birth to four or six young, about the last week in April. A branch 

 gallery is often seen in their burrows, which is used for depositing their dejections. This is 

 regarded as quite unique in the history of mammals. 



At the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are grouped together 

 under the title of Aspahicidse, or Mole Rats, the word Aspalax, or Spalax, being the Greek 

 term for a mole. The incisor teeth of these animals are extremely large, and project beyond 

 the lips. The external ears are either wholly wanting or are of very small dimensions. The 

 eyes are small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The body is heavily and 

 clumsily made, the -tail is either very short or entirely absent, and the head is large and 

 rounded. 



