Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-02
GROUND HOGS PROPHECY
CONDITIONS CALL FOR SIX WEEKS
OF COLD WEATHER.
Verified by Reports From the Zoo
Animals See Shadow and
Scamper to Their Holes.

II there be aught Of truth in the old ira
dition handed down through many genera
tions which bestows q cloak of weather
prophecy upon the shoulders of the ground
hog then Washington and her neighboTtng
cities are in for six weeks more of winter.
Today, the country over, playground hogs
are supposed to wake from their winter S
lethargy, stretch their cramped limbs and
creep with trepidation from their burrowed
homes in the hillsides to see how goes 1t
With the outside world. Quite naturally.
the long, cold-weather nap has the erect
of inoculating the tiny animal prophet with
an unwonted timidity. So the tradition de-
clares that If he sees his shadow he beats
a hasty and frightened retreat to his home.
He dares not venture out again for six long
weeks, and during that period, the old story
asserts there will be billiards. and rumors
of billiards. galore.
Out at the Geological Park there are two
ground hogs, or woodchucks as they are
more officially known and this morning the
small rodents came forth and remained out
Of doors for several minutes At first they
appeared blinded by the late morning sun,
and went with noses close to the ground In
search of something refreshing in the way
of food. After awhile. the attendants re-
port, the little fellows came In direct con-
tact with their shadows, and true to the
traditions that surround them, scurrleo
the prairie dogs used to reside and In close
proximity to the main animal house The
skeptical among the attendants declare
that the earth-dwelling "hoSgies' were
frightened by a noise in the crowd enough
to scare any timid animal into Its hole. Be
this as 1t may, the sun was SHINING, the
shadow was there, the ground hogs Went
helter-sketer into their winter homes and
the incident of their mid-winter recreation
closed with all the foreboding signs OF bad
weather in the immediate future.
The sFebruary Blizzard"
It will be remembered that two years ago
ground hog day was a beautiful type OF
the winter ideal, clear, crisp and invigorat-
ing The ground hogs We're nearly fright
ened to death by the fantastic forms or
their shadows and the worst blizzard of
history in this section resulted.
'They amt no telling what's agoing to
happen said an old negro huckster at
Center market this morning. 'Onliest hope
1 sees is that dey amt many O. them groun'
hog critters around this neighborhood, and
perraps the ones that is don't mount to
shucks in their progncstofications. Dey
useter wuz moughty wise in de old times,
but eroun' hogs, like ev'rything else, has
changed nowadays. And what chance, no
how. has er groun' hog got ginst de wealth
er man.?
The ground hog has come into worldwide
ence he is supposed to exert over the
weather. Another reason for the eXcep-
tional interest felt in the little animal is the
fact that one is seldom seen. The wood
chuck is from fifteen to eighteen inches in
lengths the color varying from blackish to
grizzled above, and chestnut red below The
feet are always dark, and the tail black
ish. sometimes with grayish rings The
form is like that of a large rat, thick and
clumsy, neck hardly apparent. head broad
and fiat. legs short and thick, and tail short
and bushy. The hair is rather soft but
the whiSkers about the mouth are long
and stout.
Hudson Bay to South Carolina.
In the United States the ground hog Is
found from Hudson bay to South Carolina,
and west to the neighborhood of the Rocky
mountains. The name of ground hog was
voracity and burrowing habits. 1t digs deep
holes in the fields, on sides of hills, or I'M
der rocks in the woods, in a slanting direc-
ton, at first upward to keep out the water,
with several compartments, and usually
with more than one entrance. 1t passes the
winter in the burrow in a lethargic state.
and vegetables, the wnodchuck being very
fond of red clover. They frequently make
their incursions at midday posting senti-
nels. They are very vigilant, and their
sense of hearing is acute. They are easily
tanned, but fight boldly, and are more than
a match for dog Of equal size
The I'd of February is a feast day in the
Roman Catholic Church Candlemas, or the
festival of the publication Of the Virgin
Mary. Today all the candles and tapers to
be used In the churches throughout the year
are consecrated. The festival is one of