A NIGHTLY PROWLER. 253 



on the whole I'd thank you not to disturb my 

 autumn reverie." 



"When the woodchuek is tamed he is not uninter- 

 esting, and there are numerous stories told of his 

 strange habits which are quite amusing. Dr. Kel- 

 logg, in the American Naturahst,* tells of a tame 

 marmot he had which was allowed to sit at table with 

 the family in one of the children's chairs. This he 

 did with all possible decorum ; but when he smelled 

 the sweet cake and other tempting viands, he forgot 

 his manners and manifested his pleasure by singing a 

 purring kind of a song, during the performance of 

 which his lips and nostrils appeared to be slightly agi- 

 tated. When the woodchuek is unexpectedly startled 

 by an approaching footstep he utters a sharp, tremu- 

 lous whistle which reminds one of the agitated voice 

 of the red squirrel. 



The female bears from four to six young about 

 the end of April or the first of May ; these remain 

 with the mother until the latter part of the summer, 

 when they shift for themselves, digging their own 

 holes and hibernating in the winter quite alone. But 

 one adult woodchuek with his mate inhabits a bur- 

 row, not more. 



Quite unlike him in both appearance and habits, 



■ Vide American Naturalist for June, 1873, vol. vi. 



