34 LITTLE FOLKS 
People who have studied these little creatures, say, that he 
cuts the grass with his teeth — as he has no scythe, you know — lets 
it dry in the sun, and then carries it into his cozy winter home. 
When it gets very cold, the whole family shut themselves up, stuff 
the door with hay, roll themselves up into balls, and — go to sleep 
for the winter. 
I've already told you about this comfortable way of spending 
the cold weather. It is called hybernation, (See if you can re- 
member that word.) 
One would think such harmless little creatures might be 
allowed to live in peace, but the people who live near the Alps, 
w r here vast numbers of Marmots are found, hunt them. Their flesh 
is good to eat, and their gray fur coats make warm winter suits for 
the rough mountaineers. Then if taken alive they can easily be 
tamed, and even taught tricks. The poor boys who live in that 
country, often take trained Marmots and travel through England 
and France, showing their tricks for money. 
It is not very easy to catch Marmots in summer, for then they're 
lively, and fight for their liberty as well as larger animals. Besides, 
with the splendid diggers they have on their toes, they can get into 
the ground faster then men can dig them out, and so get out of the 
way. But in the autumn, after they have made their winter ar- 
rangements, and begin to be stupid and sleepy, it is easy to dig 
out the house and capture the whole family. 
These interesting little fellows are very particular where they 
live, and are never found away from the mountains, but they have 
cousins who are not unwilling to live in small hills, and are very 
common in the Southern States. Their name in the books, is 
Maryland Marmot, but you've probably heard of them by the name 
of Woodchucks. 
Other cousins — a little more distant — are Prairie Dogs, who 
live in regular settlements called Prairie Dog Towns, away out on 
our prairies. They too dig comfortable homes under ground, and 
so large, and so near together are they, that horses often break 
through and hurt themselves, besides spoiling the poor little Prairie 
Dog's house. 
There's a curious thing about this home. It is also the resi- 
dence of the ugly rattlesnake, and the burrowing owl. Whether 
Madame Prairie Dog takes them as boarders was the question ioi 
some time, but on studying a little into the matter, and finding the 
