Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-31
GROUND HOG NO PROPHET
SAYS JOHN BURROUGHS
Famous Naturalist Declares the
Woodchuck- -CandIemas Day
Tradition is Fictitious.

It would be an achievment worth any
| ones while If he could successfully correct,
in the public mind, the pleasant bit of
ccntury-old fiction setting forth that the
grounding never fails to awaken from his
winters sleep on February 2. Candlemas
Day-emerge from his hole and make q
survey of weather conditions, returning
to his still warm and waiting bed for six
weeks longer of tho day be clear, for
shadowing more wintry days ahead.
The venerable John Burroughs, who
knows more about wild animals and their
habits and about all outdoor things, than
any other living man declares in per-
sonal letter to a member Of Every Eve
ming s. staff, that the story OF the ground
hog coming out Of his hole on February 2.
is entirely apocryphal by which be
means il is untrue, but accepted MS fact
by these who believe what they hear
rather than to ascertain the truth. The
famous naturalist thus desposes Of this
time honored bit Of fiction in his letter
81 do not believe there is any truth
whatever in the tradition that the wood
chuck comes out Of his hole in February
mot only on the second day Of the month,
but any time in February. He will come
out in April, and stay out when he can get
food. | have known him TO bore up
through knowbank when the time was
ripe for him"
Mr.. Burroughs has set at rest an old
belief, that il runs back TO no one know.
when, that by some occult arrangement
with nature the wood-ehuck was unfail-
ingly awakened from his winters sleep
his hibernation-by dawn on February 2,
which came TO be known as ground
hog day." and so soon as the rodent had
gotten his eyes open and his sight adj
justed tn its light again. he brushed him.
self up A bit ready to emerge from
his burrow before noon-day. Upon going
out into the open if he found the sun shin
ing sufficiently 90 cast a shadow of HIM
self, his highly developed intuitions told
him that there were 10 be ~ more days Of
cold weather and he was supposed 20 heed
heed the warning a. d retire TO his bed I'M
I'll the expiration Of the six weeks cold and
storms II, on the other hand, February2,
was dull or dark or stormy and no sun
appeared to silhouette his shadow on the
ground, or even on the snow, he remained
awake and immediatel,' set up house
keeping, renewed his interest IN things
about him. and went on the hunt for
green things or roots for his commissary.
In addition to such an aEthority on
natural history as John Burroughs there
are films that fully confirm his views, and
further prove the legend to be without
sound leg or even cruteh 20 stand
upon, and strip cthe cunning little rodent
of his undeserved reputation as weather
prophet and prognostlcator, but leaving
him withal the undlsputed credit Of being
the most elusive Cf all animal kind in
dodging capture
One film. made February 2, last year.
showed the woodchuck after he had been
dug out" by men and shovels from his
bed where he was curlcd up and hard
asleep. When taken he was as limp IS his
fur pclt would have been IL It had been
un0ccupicd by his flesh and bones, He
did not ilnch when tapped OF the head,
nor did the sitting fumes cf sulphur from
a lighted match cause a suuffle or a snltiie
when held close 70 his nCsc. His eyes
were sightlcss, in fact every orgar appar-
entity had ceased to function, except there
must have been a very slight heart action
to keep the blood from stagnhting and
maintain the seemingly spark of lfes
Such was the wood chuck d February
,. On April 10. the same animal volun-
farilv emerged from the underground
house. from which he had hccn taken ard
replaced IN February, and Immediately
resumed his activities for the summer
season. He first broke his long fast with
some sprouting grass ard tender buds Of
ehrubbery. and busted himself in cleaning
away The deposit Of dead grasses and
other debris from the mouth Of his lair.
Inquiries among the fsain boys would
20 to confirm sll Of these negative views
and 70 further discredit the whole story Of
the grounding appearing on February 2,
At times in some locations, when the
weather is balmy ard the vegetation
sprouting some are reported to have been
observed emerging afeld earlier than
April, some II rare intervals ard under
unusual condition--if kept in captivity
and outside Of their natural habitation--
have ventured out in February, possibly
as early as February 2, but we will take
John Burrough's word for il that the wood
chuck never ends his long weeks Of
Information until the breath Of early