The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1895-12-28


says the New York World. New York's
suburbs and the sparsely settled an
nexed territory contain thousands Of
merry chipmunks now making ready
their winter homes. and II people would
watch them a little they would ind
them interesting and social little
neighbOrs.
Their subterranean dwellings are be-
gun as soon as the spring weather be-
comes well settled. usually late In April
or early In May. II pair OF them be-
gin building and are overtaken by one
Of the cold rains 80 frequent in the
spring. they scurry back 10 winter
quarters and resume their alternating
sleep. Owing 10 their social instincts.
they usually select a site not far from
the home Of another pair Under
bOsely piled stone wall or the roots Of
loosely tree Is a favorite nesting
lace.
Owing 10 the number OF enemies who
onsiantly hunt and destroy them. the
hunks have 10 build a rather elaborate
burrow At least two. and sometimes
three or four. entrances lead 10 the
nest proper. These openings are usu-
ally made under a surface rock or a
tuft Of ferns, or the roots Of a tree.
where they attract very little alton
ton. BY a devious course Of some
times twelve or fifteen feet the under
ground path leads 70 the den u,der thc
wall. The other path will lead from an
entirely opposite direction. The hole
always p,u-ges sleeply down at first.
far below the level Of the den. This
permits a gradual up grade" to be
preserved as the path thus draining
the burrow and preventing washouts
after heavy rains
After the young are reared and the
August harvest days come on. the chip
hunks enlarge their home by excavat-
ing pantries or store-rooms all along
the paths. These are 70 hold the win
tcrs provisions. Under the nest itself.
hich Is about foot high by two feet
length. and warmly lined with tine.
Dft grasses. these little caves are
bughly seooped out and left unlined.
Among the most provident OF crea-
hrcs. these midgets relax their merry
law about the time the grain fields
bow yellow and begin to s0berly work.
ntil then they seem to have not an
earthly care, Now the games OF Il
SPY" and tag" are abandoned. and.
with ridiculously swollen out cheeks.
young and old begin 10 carry home
grain and early nuts Chincaplns. ha-
eel nuts. acorns and "pig-nuts" they
lug In IN vast numbers One chlpmunk
has been known 20 hold seven good
sized acorns In his espacious little
cheek pouches. 90 when one realizes
that each one makes a hundred or more
trips a day to the burrow. he will soon
see what a store Is being laid away.
Unlike the squirrels. these little fell
lows seem TO dread the cold days. In
lite September, when the frosts have
come. they spend only a short time each
day outdoors. They rush out under 4
nut tree. grab the first prize in sight
and scurry home az though pursued by
hends. Sometimes they hasten with
reason. too. for some late foraginE
hawk will have spied the striped Jacket
among the yellow leaves. and the race
Is for life. weasels, too, are greatly
dreaded. These slim marauders prowl
right up into the very burrows and
slaughter entire families In cold blood
BY the middle Of October every chip.
munk Is snugly hid underground. Nc
one has ever recorded seeing a chip.
munk outdoors In November. though
the squirrels continue laying by their
stores until the snow buries and con.
ceals the nuts Perhaps Il is ,heiI
long. long slumber that makes these
tie mammals 50 lively and pert and
-ight Of eye In the FIRST warm DAYS
it, whatever the reason. they ar,
pout the merriest and wisest Of oul
Nrt--.s