28 SQUIRRELS AND OTHER FUR-BEARERS 



and, I venture to say, he stole no more corn that 

 morning. The shrike is said to catch mice, but 

 it is not known to attack squirrels. The bird cer- 

 tainly could not have strangled the chipmunk, 

 and I am curious to know what would have been 

 the result had he overtaken him. Probably it 

 was only a kind of brag on his part — a bold 

 dash where no risk was run. He simulated the 

 hawk, the squirrel's real enemy, and no doubt en- 

 joyed the joke. 



The sylvan folk seem to know when you are 

 on a peaceful mission, and are less afraid than 

 usual. Did not that marmot to-day guess my 

 errand did not concern him as he saw me ap- 

 proach there from his cover in the bushes ? But, 

 when he saw me pause and deliberately seat my- 

 self on the stone wall immediately over his hole, 

 his confidence was much shaken. He apparently 

 deliberated awhile, for I heard the leaves rustle 

 as if he were making up his mind, when he sud- 

 denly broke cover and came for his hole full 

 tilt. Any other animal would have taken to his 

 heels and fled ; but a woodchuck's heels do not 

 amount to much for speed, and he feels his only 

 safety is in his hole. On he came in the most 

 obstinate and determined manner, and I dare 

 say if I had sat down in his hole would have 



