. Animal snapshots and how made . herewas sure to be one woodchuck less to nibble thefragrant clover. No animal exerts less energy in the course of ayear than does the woodchuck. He feeds upon thebest in the meadow and occasionally the garden,being particularly fond of the juicy peas and beansand tender lettuce. Then as winter comes on for-getting all care and worry he crawls into his burrowand, like the bear, falls asleep, not to awaken untilthe warm spring sunshine has touched with caressingfingers the slumbering world of nature. Some years ago while returning from the mill-pondwhere I had b
. Animal snapshots and how made . herewas sure to be one woodchuck less to nibble thefragrant clover. No animal exerts less energy in the course of ayear than does the woodchuck. He feeds upon thebest in the meadow and occasionally the garden,being particularly fond of the juicy peas and beansand tender lettuce. Then as winter comes on for-getting all care and worry he crawls into his burrowand, like the bear, falls asleep, not to awaken untilthe warm spring sunshine has touched with caressingfingers the slumbering world of nature. Some years ago while returning from the mill-pondwhere I had been fishing through the ice for pickerel,I came upon a man in the open field digging for askunk, which he had tracked into what seemed to bea woodchucks burrow. As the man was evidentlyvery near his game I waited to learn the result. Theburrow branched, and following one of the branchesthe man came upon a little ball of fur, not the skunkhe was after, but a woodchuck fast asleep. He wasgiven to me and I took him home. When warmed. oM oo wa H !z;O The Woodchuck 21 he slowly awoke, but soon fell asleep again becauseNature called for a longer nap. Let us select a representative woodchuck familyand follow in a general way its career, from the timethe young are bom until they are safely settled inhomes of their own. The cubs usually number fouror five, and the date of their birth is not far fromthe tenth of May. The snug little chamber in whichthey are bom is located two or three feet under theground and contains a small cozy bed of dry grassgathered the previous fall. By the old rail fence just back of the orchard onmy fathers farm lived a woodchuck family. Themother introduced herself one bright warm morningin the latter part of May, just as old Rover and I werestarting out for a days fishing. The shrill whistleshe gave was enough of a challenge for any boy anddog. So ofF we started full tilt in the direction ofthe soimd. Of course Rover arrived first on thescene of action, and wh
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