, and not rapid; but its extreme vigilance,
and acute sense of hearing, prevent it from being often captured. It
forms deep and long burrows in the earth, to which it flies upon the
least alarm. It appears to be sociable in its habits; for upon one
occasion, we noticed some thirty or forty burrows in a field of about
five acres. These burrows contain large excavations, in which they
deposit stores of provisions. It hybernates during the winter, having
first carefully closed the entrance of its burrow from within. It is
susceptible of domestication, and is remarkable for its cleanly
habits. Its cheeks are susceptible of great dilatation, and are used
as receptacles for the food which it thus transports to its
burrow. The capture of the woodchuck, forms one of the most exciting
sports of boys, and it is very easily domesticated.

[Illustration: THE WOODCHUCK.]

The woods abounded in other wild animals, all small and harmless, but
extremely interesting to the children. In their frequent visits to the
woods, it was their delight to watch the animals and birds, and
observe their motions, habits, and modes of life. But they were not
fond of disturbing them; and when they deviated from their rule in
this respect, on one remarkable occasion, as we shall now relate, it
gave them occasion for much sorrow.

CHAPTER II.

THE YOUNG CHICKADEE.

One Saturday afternoon, the children found in the woods, a grape vine,
larger than any that they had before discovered. One end clasped a
decayed tree, and as they bore their weight upon the vine, to try its
strength, they were startled by a hoarse cry above them. Looking up,
they saw two brown birds, beating the air with their wings, and
screaming, "tshe daigh, daigh, daigh; tshe daigh, daigh, daigh!" At
the same time, from amidst the green foliage which twined about the
dead tree, they heard a feeble, plaintive cry from several little
throats, "te-derry, te-derry." Frank and Fanny were much amused. They
had never seen a bird's nest so low before, and they had been
forbidden to climb the trees; but now Frank saw, that by placing one
large stone upon another, he could reach up, so as to look into the
nest. He did so, and found there were six little birds in it. But
Fanny begged him to get down, the poor parent birds were so
distressed. So he went and stood by her, upon the turf, where she was
kneeling, and they both watched the frighted mother bird, as she
fluttered back to her ne