near the ends. Tail bushy, partly distichous; body clothed with soft woolly fur, which is mixed with coarse long hairs. COLOUR. "This species (like the foregoing one) is subject to many variations in the colour of its fur, which may account perhaps for its numerous synonymes. We will, however, describe the animal in its most common colouring. "The finer woolly fur is for two-thirds of its length from the roots upwards, of a dark ashy brown, with the extremities light yellowish-brown. The long hairs are dark brown for two-thirds of their length, tipped sometimes with reddish white, but generally with a silvery white. The general tint of the black is grizzly or hoary; cheeks, and around the mouth, light gray; whiskers black; head, nose, feet, nails and tail, dark brown; eyes black. The whole under surface, including the throat, breast, belly, and the fore and hind legs, reddish orange. "The specimens before us present several striking varieties of colour; among them is one from Lower Canada, coal-black with the exception of the nose and a patch under the chin, which are light gray; the fur is short, and very soft; and the tail less distichous than in other varieties of this species. "We have found some difference in the length of the tail, in different individuals, it being, in some specimens, nearly seven inches long including the hair. แ 'Weight 9lb. 11 oz.—Audubon and Bachman, Vol. 1, p. 16." or the The Woodchuck belongs to the order RODENTIA* gnawers," that group of the mammalia which includes the beaver, muskrat, hares, mice, rats, and rabbits. The animals of this order have the two front or incisor teeth in each jaw constructed like so many chisels for the purpose of cutting to pieces the va C rious vegetable substances upon which they subsist. The extraordinary labours of the beaver, or even the mischief that can be effected by a common rat are good proofs of the efficiency of such instruments. These teeth have the enamel only on the front sides, so that the posterior portion being the softest, is worn away more rapidly and leaves a sharp edge where it is most needed. The jaws of the Rodents, also, are so articulated and contrived, that they have no motion sideways, but only in a direction from behind forwards. The woodchuck is found throughout the north-eastern United. States, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada, and also, it is said, in the Hudson's Bay territory. It is a harmless little animal, subsisting upon vegetable food during the summer, and sleeping during the winter. The young are brought forth in May or June, generally four or five in a litter, but sometimes seven or eight. The burrow in which each pair resides, is usually dug in the side of a small sandy or gravelly eminence, and often in a perfectly level field. It is at first a little sloping downwards, and then continued along horizontally, sometimes twenty or thirty feet when it is terminated, in a comfortable round chamber where the occupants can dwell in security. About the time the leaves fall in the autumn, these animals retire to their burrows, roll themselves up, and remain quite torpid until spring. When taken out in this state they can be rolled about like a ball without being relaxed. While feeding, they keep the upright position, stooping down to get a mouthful, and then sitting upright to eat it. When pursued, they usually manage to get to their burrows pretty quickly, or if such a place of retreat be more convenient, into a pile of loose stones or old logs. They do not store up provisions as is generally supposed. In the autumn they become exceedingly fat, and their flesh is not bad eating. In Canada, this animal is called by the French habitans, Siffleur, and by English, the woodchuck, ground-hog, or marmot. They bite severely, and will fight with a dog several times their own size. They are sometimes seen in the woods erect, with their backs against a tree, asleep in the warm sunshine. It appears that the species described by Sir John Richardson under the name of Arctomys empetra, is the same as A. monx. The following anecdote relating to the hybernation of the woodchuck is given in Audubon & Bachman's work. Concerning this latter most singular state of existence, we are gratified in being able to communicate the following facts, related to us by the Hon. DANIEL WADSWORTH, of Hartford, Connecticut. "I kept," said he to us, " a fine Wood-Chuck in captivity, in this house, for upwards of two years. It was brought to me by a country lad, and was then large, rather wild, and somewhat cross and mischievous; being placed in the kitchen, it soon found a retreat, in which it remained concealed the greater part of its time every day. During several nights it attempted to escape by gnawing the door and window-sills; gradually it became more quiet, and suffered itself to be approached by the inmates of the kitchen, these being the cook, a fine dog, and a cat; so that ere many months had elapsed, it would lie on the floor near the fire, in company with the dog, and would take food from the hand of the cook. I now began to take a particular interest in its welfare, and had a large box made for its use, and filled with hay, to which it became habituated, and always retired when inclined to repose. Winter coming on, the box was placed in a warm corner, and the WoodChuck went into it, arranged its bed with care, and became torpid. Some six weeks having passed without its appearing, or having received any food; I had it taken out of the box, and brought into the parlour-it was inanimate, and as round as a ball, its nose being buried as it were in the lower part of his abdomen, and covered by its tail-it was rolled over the carpet many times, but without effecting any apparent change in its lethargic condition, and being desirous to push the experiment as far as in my power, I laid it close to the fire, and having ordered my dog to lie down by it, placed the Wood-Chuck in the dog's lap. In about half an hour, my pet slowly unrolled itself, raised its nose from the carpet, looked around for a few minutes, and then slowly crawled away from the dog, moving about the room as if in search of its own bed! I took it up, and had it carried down stairs and placed again in its box, where it went to sleep, as soundly as ever, until spring made its appearance. That season advancing, and the trees showing their leaves, the Wood-Chuck became as brisk and gentle as could be desired, and was frequently brought into the parlour. The succeeding winter this animal evinced the same disposition, and never appeared to suffer by its long sleep. An accident deprived me of my pet, for having been trodden on, it gradually became poor, refused food, and finally died extremely emaciated." แ May we here be allowed to detain you, kind reader, for a few moments, whilst we reflect on this, one among thousands of other instances of the all-wise dispensations of the Creator. Could any of the smaller species of quadrupeds, incapable, as many of them are, of migrating like the swift-winged inhabitants of the air to the sunny climes of the South, and equally unable to find any thing. to subsist on among the dreary wastes of snow, or the frost-bound lands of the North during winter, have a greater boon at the hands of Nature than this power of escaping the rigours and cold blasts of that season, and resting securely, in a sleep of insensibility, free from all cravings of hunger and all danger of perishing with cold, till the warm sun of spring, once more calls them into life and activity? Thus this and several other species of quadrupeds, whose organization in this respect differs so widely from general rules, may be said to have no winter in their year, but enjoy the delightful weather of spring, summer, and autumn, without caring for the approach of that season during which other animals often suffer from both cold and hunger." ARTICLE XIV.—On the “Fisher" or Pekan. "Pennant's Marten." (Mustela Canadensis.) GENUS MUSTELA.-Cuv. DENTAL FORMULA. Incisive; Canine -1; Molar = 38. "Head, small and oval; muzzle, rather large; ears, short and round; body, long, vermiform; tail, usually long and cylindrical; legs, short; five toes on each foot, armed with sharp, crooked, slightly retractile claws. No anal pouch, but a small gland which secretes a thickish offensive fluid. Fur, very fine. "This genus differs from the genus PUTORIUS, having four carnivorous teeth on each side, in the upper jaw, instead of three, the number the true weasels exhibit, and the last carnivorous tooth on the lower jaw, has a rounded lobe on the inner side, which renders this genus somewhat less carnivorous in its habit than PUTORIUS, and consequently a slight diminution of the cruelty and ferocity displayed by animals of the latter genus, may be observed in those forming the present. "There are about twelve species of true Martens known, four of which inhabit North America. "The generic name MUSTELA, is derived from the Latin word mustela, a weasel. MUSTELA CANADENSIS.-SCHREBER. PENNANT'S MARTEN OR FISHER. BLACK FOX OR BLACK CAT OF THE NORTHERN HUNTERS. CHARACTERS. "Head and shoulders, mixed with grey and brown; nose, lips, legs, and tail, dark brown. SYNONYMES. LE PEKAN, Buffon, vol. xiii., p. 304, A.D. 1749. FISHER, OF BLACK Fox, Lewis and Clarke, vol. iii., p. 25. "The head of this species bears a stronger resemblance to that of a dog than to the head of a cat. Its canine teeth, in the upper jaw, are so long that with the slightest movement of the lip they are exposed. Head, broad and round, contracting rather suddenly toward the nose, which is acute. Eyes, rather small and oblique; ears, low, broad, semicircular, and far apart, covered on both surfaces with short soft fur; whiskers, half the length of the head; body, long, and formed for agility and strength. |