Nature Notes From Crater Lake
Volume 1, No. 2, August 1928
Chipmunk Epicureans
By C. L. Groghan
Entering a ranger's tent, a chipmunk
examined various boxes, cans and corners. Finally he selected a spot
near the center of the floor and began digging. In a minute or two he
found what on closer examination proved to be a small fungus of the
puff-ball type. After the chipmunk had left, a piece of chocolate cake
was placed in the hole and carefully covered. Sometime later the
chipmunk reappeared and after a more thoro examination of the tent and
contents came back to the place where he had found the mushroom. He set
to work, and in a moment the cake was found, duly examined and very,
very impolitely if not indignantly kicked aside, and the excavating
continued. After some effort and delays caused by the tunnel caving in,
it appeared with another small mushroom which was greedily eaten.
A few days later a young chipmunk was
noticed carefully searching the road after each car had passed the
registering station. After some dozen or more cars had registered and
passed on, something was found and hastily carried to a vantage point
and the meal was begun. It was interrupted by two more chipmunks after
the same tidbit, tho after some maneuvering they were discouraged
allowing the observer to get a good view of the object in question which
proved to be a humming bird. It no doubt had been cooked to a turn by
the heat of the radiator of the car with which it had in some manner
come into contact.