Democratic messenger., 1893-03-04
A WHITE WOODCHUCk
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF AN EXTREME
" INTERESTING PET.

ing Them His Awakening.
Some years ago in the spring. while
travelling on the Belfast Branch railroad.
just before arriving al Brook Station. |
chanced to be lonking ont of the car
window and saw a curious looking ann
NAL run under pile of brush in gravel
pit near the track concluded AT once
that il must he an albino woodchuck. as
my husband had told me one had been
seen in that vicinity. AT the station !
hastily procured "a basket. and securing
the assistance of two boys ! proceeded
without loss of time 10 the gravel pit
and oyerhauling some of The brush soon
found the prize As bad conlectured
II was an alhino woodchnck about two
thirds grown pure white. with pink
eyes. and as saucy Il little fellow as one
would care 10 handle. Without much
difficulty dropped my basket over him
and securing him returned 10 the Sta
iion. boxed him mp and expressed him
home to my husband. with inStructio: ;
10 keep him on a milk diet until my re-
turn a week later.
On returning home found my pet en-
sconced IN u nest of cotton. purring away
like Il coniented kitten. He seemed quite
reconciled Ia the restraints Of captivity.
had already lecome SD tame rs 10 allow
his beautiful snow white coat to be
stroked. AMI seemed especially to enjoy
gentle stroking about the face. which !
think Is Il characteristic of most wild
e e t.al,
fishing confidential relations with them
For the first year his food consisted prin-
cipally OF bread and milk. with an oc-
casional handful Of planiain leaves. 4
most interesting sight was TO watch hil.l
while being fed lie would sit up like a
squirrel. holding his food in his paws.
He soon learned To take his milk from !.
spoon tirasping it near the bowl, he
would hold it very gracefully until the
milk was all tapped ont: then. with a lit
tie assistance. would return il to the cup
to be filled. and repeat the operation until
his appetite was satisfied. Then he would
90 into his nest, roll himself mp like il
kitten and take a nap of several hours.
With one exception he never showed his
VIII, Stk Ait bho tdL :
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
tthe nest without awaking About Nov
his sleep for the winter began He
/ a 81.
peraiurc was very even-Jnst above the
freezing point-and here he remained
without being disturbed until the mid
dle of March
| Durin. all this time his body remained
cold. and toall outward appearances life
less About the time Of his awakening
in March. upon visiting him and placing
my han.l on his body. fonnd il 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 warm
room in order to watch the process OF
awakening. rubbing his body and legs
for an hour or more fle seemed quite
Indifferent to my Solicitude on his be-
half. but gradually awakened. opened
his eyes, chattered his teeth. and gave
that peculiar whicker 50 characteristic
OF disturbed woodchuck.
His efforts TO stand upon his feet were
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 partooh
of "A little milk. | was surprised TO no
tice but little loss Of fat during the long
period of sleep. He had become ex
cessively fat before going into his win
ter sleep. and expected that would be
absorbed during that period His fur
had become long and of Il beautiful sill.
very gloss-so white and silky that IL
was pleasure to stroke and pet him.
Upon his first awakening and for a
day or two he seemed III have forgotten
his friends and manifested his wild ma.
ture 80 mucn rs 10 make himself very
,lisagrecabe lie ate with voracious
appetite and began To grow thin. la Il
few days he became mere skeleton oi
his former self. and for several weeks
until June did not begin to take on
tieSh lie now displayed more activity
than al any other time during the year
The following winter his sleep was in
terrnpted once in two weeks This was
done by wrapping him in warm fiannels
and placing him i'll warm room. He
partook Of but little food, and during
the period of two days of broken rest he
seemed very uneasy About the last Of
March. when he should have awakened
to activity. he was taken sick and died
IN commissions after sickness of tive
days NOW have him nicely mounted
III my collection. among which are
several albinos. but none SO perfect a
my beautiful pet. = Cor Forest and
Stream