114 On the Wood-Chuck. 



rious vegetable substances upon whicb tbey subsist. The extra- 

 ordinary labours of the beaver, or even the mischief that can b.© 

 effected by a common rat are good proofs of the efficiency of such 

 instruments. These teeth have the enamel only on the front 

 sides, so that the posterior portion being the softest, is worn away 

 more rapidly and leaves a sharp edge where it is most needed. 

 The jaws of the Rodents, also, are so articulated and contrived, 

 that they have uo motion sideways, but only in a direction from 

 behind forwards. 



The woodchuck is found throughout the north-eastern United 

 States, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada, and also, it is 

 said, in the Hudson's Bay territory. It is a harmless little animal, 

 subsisting upon vegetable food during the summer, and sleeping 

 during the winter. The young are brought forth in May or June, 

 generally four or five in a litter, but sometimes seven or eight. 

 The burrow in which each pair resides, is usually dug in the side 

 of a small sandy or gravelly eminence, and often in a perfectly 

 level field. It is at first a little sloping downwards, and then con- 

 tinued along horizontally, sometimes twenty or thirty feet when 

 it is terminated, in a comfortable round chamber where the occu- 

 pants can dwell in security. About the time the leaves fall in the 

 autumn, these animals retire to their burrows, roll themselves up, 

 and remain quite torpid until spring. When taken out in this 

 state they can be rolled about like a ball without being relaxed. 

 While feeding, they keep theoipright position, stooping down to^ 

 get a mouthful, and then sitting upright to eat it. When pur- 

 sued, they usually manage to get to their burrows pretty quickly, 

 or if such a place of retreat be more convenient, into a pile of loose 

 stones or old logs. They do not store up provisions as is gene- 

 rally supposed. In the autumn they become exceedingly fat, and 

 their flesh is not bad eating. In Canada, this animal is called by 

 the French habitans, Siffleur, and by English, the woodchuck, 

 ground-hog, or marmot. They bite severely, and will fight 

 with a dog several times their own size. They are sometimes seen 

 in the woods erect, with their backs against a tree, asleep in the 

 warm sunshine. 



It appears that the species described by Sir John Richardson 

 under the name of Arctomys empetra, is the same as A. monx. 

 The following anecdote relating to the hybernation of the wood- 

 chuck is given in Audubon & Bachman's work. 



