246 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



nearly every farm, for his range extends from the 

 CaroUnas to Canada, and from the seaboard to Mis- 

 souri, Iowa, and Minnesota. 



The names of this familiar American animal are 

 both significant and appropriate ; Arctomys comes 

 from the Latin areto, meaning to draw close together, 

 in allusion to the habit of the animal of gathering 

 himself together in a ball for a long winter's nap. 

 The specific monux means a monk, also remarkably 

 appropriate, for the animal generally lives quite by 

 himself in tlie deepest seclusion. As for the plain 

 Yankee name of " woodchuck," whatever may be its 

 serious import, there used to be a legend connected 

 with it of expressive interest, which deserves repeti- 

 tion here. 



In olden times — probably the time of ^sop — the 

 lesser animals used to live in one happy country with 

 a judge over them — the dog. One day a rabbit, 

 whose burrow adjoined that of a marmot, complained 

 to the latter that the little rabbits' eyes were contin- 

 ually filled with the dirt which he carelessly threw 

 out of his burrow. However, the marmot paid no 

 heed to the remonstrance, and the rabbit was com- 

 pelled to appeal to the judge ; he immediately sent 

 word to the offender that he must be more careful in 

 the future. But the insolent marmot, notorious for 

 his incivility and indifference, replied to the messen- 



