158 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



the beaver has hind feet much larger than the fore feet, 

 and the five toes are fully webbed for swimming. The 

 smaller front feet are unwebbed, and again like the musk- 

 rat, their main use is as hands for holding food and they 

 give invaluable service for carrying or holding building 

 material when dams are being constructed. 



The eyes are small and the vision, Bailey believes, evi- 

 dently is not very keen except under water. The ears are 

 short, lined with fur, and valvular, closing as the animal 

 dives under the water and opening the moment the animal 

 puts its hsad above the surface. The sense of hearing pos- 

 sessed by the beaver is remarkably keen, Bailey declares. 

 It has a keen sense of smell, according to the same author- 

 ity, although the nostrils are small and valvular. Like the 

 ears and nostrils, the mouth can also be shut so tightly that 

 water cannot enter while the long front incisor teeth are 

 being used to gnaw on roots beneath the surface, and the 

 molars, or grinding teeth, used for chewing. 



Beavers weigh from 25 to 45 pounds, some older speci- 

 mens attaining a weight of 60, 70 and even 100 pounds. The 

 sexes are so alike in weight and external appearances that 

 it is not an easy matter to distinguish one from the other; 

 adult females, however have four conspicuous mamae ar- 

 ranged in a perfect square, two being borne on each of the 

 elongated mammary glands lying between the front legs. 



Before referring to the broad flat tail which has given 

 the beaver its position in popular fancy, it might be of 

 interest to call atention to the double combing claws it 

 possesses on the two inner toes of each of the webbed hind 

 feet. The animal uses the claws for combing out and keep- 

 ing its fur smooth. These "combing claws" are to be found 

 immediately beneath the nail of the two inside claws. 



The flat wide tail is not used as a trowel to plaster mud 

 on its house and dam, as has been claimed by fanciful 

 writers, but let us ask Vernon Bailey, who probably knows 

 the beaver better than anyone else, to answer the question r 

 "Why is a beaver's tail flat?" 



"It is only necessary to see it in use, tilted up, steering 

 one way or the other, or striking downward as the animal 



