Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1898 — STORE UP FOOD FOR WINTER. [ARTICLE]

STORE UP FOOD FOR WINTER.

Weasels, Chipmunks and Eqnirrela Prepare for Cold Weather. Have you ever seen the weasel carry his winter food to his den? If you meet him in the woods, watch him at work; no one could be more methodical. He brings his food to the entrance of his home, and suddenly pops into the round hole in the ground that serves him as a doorway. Whatever food he may have brought he will lay near his door, go in, turn around and then reach out to drag in the dainty after him. The chipmunk is another busy housekeeper. He works on much the same plan as the weasel, and to and fro ho will hasten on the still days of October, seeming to understand the advantage of tolling while the winds and sky. are favorable. In storing his provisions the chipmunk is far more careful than the red squirrel, and he is also more particular about furnishing his home. He selects the dry maple leaves or those of the plane tree, and stuffs them carefully into his cheek pockets to carry them to his den. When he cannot find enough nuts or grain this provident little housekeeper chooses something else. We know of two chipmunks that were observed by a student of animals while they were gathering cherry pita from under a cherry tree near the student’s house. As he preferred watching the workers to disturbing them, they grew more friendly, and were full of Joy at the unusual feast that they were laying up for themselves. They gathered the seeds of the sugar maple also, and, as many of the keys were yet on the trees, although the leaves had fallen, the chipmunks harvested them by running swifty out upon the ends of the small branches, reaching for the maple keys, snipping off the wings and deftly slipping the nut or samara Into their cheek pockets.—Our Animal Friends.