THE CHIPMUNK 151 



it is seen in front of his door. Those pockets of 

 his probably stand him in good stead on such occa- 

 sions. Only in one instance have I seen a pile of 

 earth before the entrance to a chipmunk's den, and 

 that was where the builder had begun his house late 

 ia November, and was probably too much hurried 

 to remove this ugly mark from before his door. I 

 used to pass his place every morning in my walk, 

 and my eye always fell upon that little pile of red, 

 freshly dug soil. A little later I used frequently 

 to surprise the squirrel furnishing his house, carry- 

 ing in dry leaves of the maple and plane tree. He 

 would seize a large leaf and with both hands stuff it 

 into his cheek pockets, and then carry it into his 

 den. I saw him on several different days occupied 

 in this way. I trust he had secured his winter 

 stores, though I am a little doubtful. He was hur- 

 riedly making himself a new home, and the cold of 

 December was upon us while he was yet at work. 

 It may be that he had moved the stores from his 

 old quarters, wherever they were, and again it may 

 be that he had been dispossessed of both his house 

 and provender by some other chipmunk. 



When nuts or grain are not to be had, these 

 thrifty little creatures will find some substitute to 

 help them over the winter. Two chipmunks near 

 my study were occupied many days in carrying in 

 cherry pits which they gathered beneath a large 

 cherry-tree that stood ten or twelve rods away. As 

 Nig was no longer about to molest them, they grew 

 very fearless, and used to spin up and down the gar- 



