Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-16
.AWHITE WOODBRIDGE
BRIEF GEOGRAPHY or An EXTREME
" INTERESTING PET.

4 VIA tist,, Cre.sare IAaA tsecAms De-
.essie.sed by Klsaness-His Long Pc
rs.a. Il sleer AL How He Looked Dur
~ rhem-His Awakeaing.
Some years ago in the spring, whiie
travelling on the Belfast Branch ratlfssi'l,
Just before arriving ut Brook Station.
CHANGED to be looking out OF the car
window and saw curious looking ami
NAL run under a pile of brush in gravel
pit near the track. concluded Al once
that it must be an albino woodchuck, rs
INV husband hal~told me one had been
seen in that vicinity. At the s'anoh !
hastily procured a basket, and securing
the assistance of two boys proceeded
without loss of time TO the gravel pit.
and oyerhaaiing some of the brush soon
fo,,pd the prize. As had conjectnred.
II was an albino woodchuck about two
thirds grown. pure white, with pinS
ewes. and as saucy little fellow rs one
wonld care to handle. Without much
difficulty dropped my basket ever him.
and securing him returned TO the sta
ton, boxed him up and expressed nm
home 10 my husband. with Instructions
IN keen him on milk diet until my re-
turn week later.
On returning some found my pet en-
sconced in a nest of cotton, purrins away
lik. "A contented kitten. He seemed quite
reconciled To the restraints OF captivity,
had already become SO tame as to aiiow
his beautiful snow white coat to be
stroked. and seemed especially to enjoy
gentle stroking about the face, WHICH
think is "A characteristic of most Wild
animals, and one of the ways of estab-
fishing confidential relations with them
For the first year his food consisted prin'
cipally OF bread and milk. with an oc'
casional handful of plantain leaves a
most interesting sight was to watch him
while being fed. He would sit mp like u
squirrel. holding his food in his paws.
He soon learned to take his milk from II
spoon. Grasping it near the bowl, he
would hold it very gracefully until the
milk was all Tapped out; then, with III
tie assistance, would return it to the cup
to be filed, and repeat the operation until
his appetite was satisfied. Then he wouid
70 into his nest. roll himself up like n
kitten and take a nap of several hours
With one exception he never showed hlH
wild, savage nature during the two year.
of his life in confinement.
Early in the fall the disposition to hi
bernate began to show itself by his lack
of activity, and he remained in his nest
most of the time, his sleep becoming So
profound that he could be taken from
the nest without awaking. About Nov
his sleep for the winter began. liz
was placed in the cellar, where the TEN
perature was very even--Just above th'
freezing point-and here he remainet
without being disturbed until the mid
die OF March.
During all this time his body remained
cold, and to all outward appearances life
less. About the time of his awakening
in March, upon visiting him and placing
my hand on his body, found it to h
quite warm, and after rubbing him fol
"a few moments he began to yawn ana
stretch, but did not get upon his feet
The next day took him into warm
room in order to watch the process Of
awakening. rubbing his body and ley
for an hour or more. He seemed quite
Indifferent to my solicitude on his be
half, but gradually awakened, opened
his eyes, chartered his teeth, and gave
that peculiar whicker so characteristic
of disturbed woodchuck.
His efforts to stand upon his feet wer,
for some hours Intellectual. He seemed
to have lost the use of them. Toward
night, however he seemed to regain full
control of all his faculties and partonk
of little milk. was surprised to no
tice but little loss of fat during the long
period of sleep. He had become cx
cessively fat before going into his win
ter sleep, and expected that would be
absorbed during that period. His fni
had become long and of Il beautiful sill
very gloss-so white and silky that ii
was pleasure to stroke and pet him.
Upon his first awakening and for
day or two he seemed to have forgotten
his friends and manifested his wild na
ture so much as to make himself very
disagreeable. He ate with voracious
appetite and began to grow thin. In
few days he became mere skeleton Of
his former self, and for several weeks
until June did not begin to take on
flesh. He now displayed more activit,
than at any other time during the year
The following winter his sleep was in
terrupted once in two weeks. This wa
done by wrapping him in warm flannel
and placing him in u warm room. He
partook Of but little food, and during
the period of two days of broken rest h
seemed very uneasy. About the last Oh
March, when he should have awakened
to activity, he was taken sick and dieG
in commissions after sickness of tive
days. now have him nicely MOUNTED!
in my collection, among which arc
several albinos, but none so perfect "A
my beautiful pct. Cor. Forest aaG
Stream.