Conservation Commission 253 



Fulton Chain District. Protector Ball of Old Forge enu- 

 merates and locates no less than 79 colonies, with 76 dams, in- 

 habited by 223 beaver. The beaver locations in Ball's district 

 are: Old Forge Pond, Big Spring Creek, First Lake and marshes. 

 Second Lake, Third Lake, Fourth Lake, Fifth Lake, Sixth Lake, 

 Seventh Lake, Eighth Lake, Cedar Creek, Black Mt. Creek, 

 Eagle Creek, Limekiln Creek, Red river, Indian river (mostly 

 bank beaver), l^ick's Lake, Dry Lake (not dry now, flooded by 

 beaver), Moose river (bank beaver), Hellgate Creek, Indian 

 Spring Creek, Inlet of Big Otter, North Branch above Fulton 

 Chain, Eondax Lake, Snake Pond, Chub Pond, Constable Pond, 

 Queer Lake, south and west branches Beaver river. 



J. Gilbert Hoffman, of Fulton Chain, finds that the beaver are 

 increasing rapidly in various sections he has visited. He found 

 a colony at Red Horse Chain and others reported by protectors. 

 In that territory the intelligent animals have apparently lost most 

 of their natural fear of man. A beaver dam on Eagle Creek which 

 caused the flooding of the highway, was torn down under the 

 direction of Protector Ball. The beaver reconstructed the dam 

 over night. In another interesting case, the beaver insisted on 

 invading Dr. Nicholl's property on First Lake. Protector Ball 

 placed a lighted lantern in a lodge of the intruders, but they re- 

 fused to take the hint to move on, and industriously extended their 

 lodge over and around the warning beacon. Then in order to 

 circumvent the trespassing beaver, the men put up a wire fence 

 so the beaver could not get into Nicholl's yard where they were 

 cutting poplars for food. Thereupon the wily animals vindicated 

 the assertion of a scientist who said that "beaver aparently de- 

 pend more upon reason and less upon instinct than do the majority 

 of the forest folk." They piled wood against the fence and easily 

 climed over into the forbidden territory. 



Mr. Hoffman says the Brown's Tract Lumber Company is glad 

 to see the beaver restored to the Adirondacks. In his opinion 

 they do no great damage except in rare cases where they become 

 so tame as to invade summer camp groves. 



Glenfield District. Protector VerSnyder of Glenfield reports 

 the beaver numerous in his section : 1 colony at Mud Hole Pond ; 

 1 at Little Pine Lake; 1 on Pine Creek; 1 on Crawford's Fish 



