tawny marmots," called sometimes "ground-squirrels," and by the
voyageurs, "siffleurs," or "whistlers." The other species seen were the
most beautiful of all the marmots. They were very little smaller than
the tawny marmots; but their tails were larger and more slender, which
rendered their appearance more graceful. Their chief beauty, however,
lay in their colours and markings. They were striped from the nose to
the rump with bands of yellow and chocolate colour, which alternated
with each other, while the chocolate bands were themselves variegated by
rows of yellow spots regularly placed. These markings gave the animals
that peculiar appearance so well-known as characterising the skin of the
leopard, hence the name of these little creatures was "leopard-marmots."

It was plain from their actions that both kinds were "at home" among the
mounds, and that both had their burrows there. This was the fact, and
Norman told his companion that the two kinds are always found together,
not living in the same houses, but only as neighbours in the same
"settlement." The burrows of the "leopard" have much smaller entrances
than those of their "tawny kin," and run down perpendicularly to a
greater depth before branching off in a horizontal direction. A
straight stick may be thrust down one of these full five feet before
reaching an "elbow." The holes of the tawny marmots, on the contrary,
branch off near the surface, and are not so deep under ground. This
guides us to the explanation of a singular fact--which is, that the
"tawnies" make their appearance three weeks earlier in spring than the
"leopards," in consequence of the heat of the sun reaching them sooner,
and waking them out of their torpid sleep.

While these explanations were passing among the boys, the marmots had
come out, to the number of a score, and were carrying on their gambols
along the declivity of the hill. They were at too great a distance to
heed the movements of the travellers by the camp-fire. Besides, a
considerable valley lay between them and the camp, which, as they
believed, rendered their position secure. They were not at such a
distance but that many of their movements could be clearly made out by
the boys, who after a while noticed that several furious battles were
being fought among them. It was not the "tawnies" against the others,
but the males of each kind in single combats with one another. They
fought like little cats, exhibiting th