Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-12-09
STORY or A WHITE WooDoHUoK
The Too Brief biography OF an Rx-
tremely Interesting Pet.
TErnrn Einrasf and Htrnarn

The Too Brief biography OF an Kx-
tremely Interesting Pet.
From Forest and stream.l
Some years ago, in the spring, while
travelling on the Belfast Branch railroad,
CHANGED to be looking out of the car. win
dow and saw a curious looking animal run
under pile of brush in gravel pit near
the track. j concluded at once that 1t
must be an albino woodchuck, as my hus-
band had told me one had been sean in
that vicinity. At the station I procured q
basket, and, securing the assistance of two
boys, 1 proceeded without loss of time
to the grave pit, and overnsuling some of
the brush soon found the prizs. AS had
copjectured, it was an albino woodchuck
about two thirds grown, pure white, with
pink eyes, and as saucy little fellow ss
one would care to handle. Without much
difficulty dropped my basket over him,
and securing him returned to the station,
boxed him up and expressed him home to
my husband, with instructions to keep him
on milk diet until my return a week
later.
OA Il pei CA4-
seonced in a nest of cotton, purring away
Ike eontented kitten. He seemed quite
reconciIed to the restraints of captivity,
had already become so tame as to allow his
beautiful snow-white coat to be stroked,
and seemed especially to enjoy gentle strok-
ing about the face, which think is q char
acteristic of most wild animals, and one of
the ways of establishing confidential rels-
tions with them. For the fret year his
food consisted principally of bread and
milk, with an occasional handful of plan
tain leaves. A most interesting sight was
to watch him while being fed. He would
sit up like squirrel, holding his food in
his paws. He soon learned to take his
milk from q spoon; grssping 1t near the
bowl, he would hold 1t very gracefully un-
til the milk was all Tapped out, then with a
little assistance he would returnit to the cup
to be filled and repeat the operation until his
appetite was satisfied. Then he would go
into his nest, roll himself up like kitten,
and take a nsp of several hours. With one
exception he never showed his wild, savage
nature during the two years of his life in
confinement.
Early in the fall the disposition to hiber-
nate 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 with
| out awsking About November his sleep
| for the winter began. He was placed in
| the cellar, where the temperature was very
eyen-just above the freezing point-snd
| here he remained without being disturbed
until the middle 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 be quite
warm, and after rubbing him for few
| moments he began to yawn and stretch,
but did not get upon his feet. The next
| day took him into a warm room in order
| to watch the process of awakening, rubbing
| his body and legs for an hour or more. He
seemed quite Indifferent to my solicitude
on his behalf, but gradually awakened,
i opened his eyes, Chartered his teeth, and
gave that peculiar whicker so chsrscteris-
tic of disturbed woodchuck.
His efforts to stand upon his feat were
for some hours Intellectual. He seemed tc
have lost the use of them. Toward night
however, he seemed to regain full control
of all his faculties and psrtook of little
milk. 1 was surprised TO notice but little
loss of fat during the long period of sleep.
He had become excessively fat before 60
ing into his winter sleep, and l expected
that would be absorbed during that period
His fur had become long and of a beauti
full silyery gloss, so white and silky that il
YVES pleasure to stroke and pet him
| Upon his first awakening and for day
or two he seemed TO have forgotten hi
friends and manifested his wild nature 81
much as to make himself very dissgreeable
He ate with q voracious appetite and begsr
to grow thin. In few days he became
mere skeleton of his former self and fol
several weeks, until June /, did not begiI
to take on flesh. He now displayed NOR
activity than at any other time during tn
year.
The following winter his sleep was inter
rupted once in two weeks. This was dom
by wrapping him in warm hsnnels ant
} placing him in warm room; he partool
of but little food, and during the period O
, two days of broken rest he seemed very IN
easy. About the last of March, when b
should have awakened to activity, he wa
taken sick and died in convulsions after
sickness of two days. 1 now have hir
: nicely mounted in my collection, anon
which are several slbinos, but none so pei
feet as my beautiful pet.