Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 277, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1918 — GROUNDHOG AND WIND BUILD SAND MOUNDS. [ARTICLE]

GROUNDHOG AND WIND BUILD SAND MOUNDS.

Unusual Sight at Midway, N. Y„ Arouses Interest of Travelers and Visitors. MIDWAY, N. Y.—When strangers enter this village by automobile or railroad trains they observe numerous mounds in North street at the corporate limits, and often see little animals disappear in them. When they reach the village hotel the majority of strangers are sure to inquire about the mounds. * The mounds are the work of ground-hogs—-woodchucks, as they are known hero—and the wind. The earth surrounding the mounds is a light sand. Tears ago woodchucks appeared in the sand lot and dug holes. After a time It was observed that mounds had appeared in the sand lot The woodchucks had packed the ■and so hard around the. holes that the wind had nd effect, but blew it away from the holes for several feet, thus forming the mounds. At the approach of persons the woodchucks climb the mounds and disappear in the holes. Many of the mounds are very steep and the woodchucks often slip back several times before they are able to reach the summit and disappear.