122 
MAMMALIA. 
gap, another, shortly after, continued the operation beside the lifeless 
body of its companion. 
It seems probable that these singular rodents cannot long survive 
human settlement. Incapable of rapid motion they are easily ap- . 
proached, and their spiny armature, so potent a protection from their 
natural enemies, fails before the merciless power of man. In the iso- 
lation of the mountain top where we have just seen them, they ap- 
peared to be at a loss to understand the nature of their disturbers, 
and when met with showed little excitement, or anxiety to escape. 
Their greatest effort in this direction appeared to be leisurely shuf- 
fling out of the immediate way, often climbing with sluggish effort into 
a small balsam and composing themselves among the branches just 
out of easy reach. 
An interesting interchange of animal forms between the highlands 
of this region and the lower country is remarked by Mr. Burroughs,* 
who speaks of the Little Gray Rabbit (. Lepus sylvaticus ) of the low- 
lands, being replaced by the Northern Hare i^Lepus Americamts ) on 
the mountains. The latter species, though long known to extend far 
southward in the Alleghanies, is characterized by the same writer as 
abundant in this section. f Testimony to the same effect was given 
by residents, and both species were said to occur together in certain 
parts of the valleys; but nothing further regarding them than the 
presence of both was determined by personal observation. 
The most abundant animal appeared to be the Chipmunk ( Tamias 
striatus ) which was everywhere met with, even near the top of Slide 
Mountain. These little rodents probably constitute a large propor- 
tion of the prey of the rapacious birds inhabiting the region, which, 
however, do not appear to be many either in species or, excepting 
owls, in individuals. In a pellet of fur and bones from some bird of 
prey were the remains of one or more of these animals, and with them 
those of the Mole Shrew ( Blarina brevicanda ) were recognized by 
* Wake Robin, ed. 1871, 42. 
•)■ Winter Sunshine, 1876, 65-66. 
