54 Katuml Hidory and Hunting of the Beaver. 



Though perfectly satisfied that the conclusion deduced by me from 

 the experiment with the air-pump rests on too secure a basis to ])e sul)- 

 verted, yet a desire to remove all apparent difficulties which may be 

 thought to militate against the view that I have promulgated of the 

 means by which numerous species of insects and spiders, and even some 

 reptiles, are enabled to move on dry, polished, vertical surfaces, must 

 serve as my excuse for obtruding once more on the attention of natur- 

 alists a subject that has been the occasion of so much controversy. 



On the Natiiral History and Hunting of the Beaver (Castor canadensis, 

 Kuhl) on the Pacific Slo2)e of the Eocky 3fountains ; by Ashdoavn 

 H. Green, Esq. With Supplementary Notes by Egbert Brow^% 

 Esq.,F.R.G.S. (Communicated by James MuRiE, M.D., F.L.S.) 

 From Jour, of Proceedings of Linntean Society, vol. x., p. 301. 



I have been for three years almost constantly engaged in trapping 

 beavers, so that what remarks I may have' to make on their habits and 

 history, though somewhat at variance witli the stereotyped notions 

 prevalent in compilations, are yet the result of niy own independent 

 observations. 



About January their tracks may be seen in the snow near the outlet 

 of the lakes where young fir trees grow. At this time they prefer 

 young fir trees as food to any other kind of tree, the reason, doubtless, 

 being that at this period the sap has not risen in the willow^ or alder 

 (Alniis oregana). It is not often that females are caught in the spring; 

 and the males seem to travel about, as the runs are not used so regu- 

 larly as they are when the beavers are living near. 



Some of the beavers become torpid during January, especially those 

 living near lakes, swamj:)?, or large sheets of Avater wliich are frozen. 

 They do not lay in a store of sticks for winter use as stated by Captain 

 Bonvilie (^Yashington Irving's "Adventures of Captain Bonville"), 

 as one day's supply of sticks for a single beaver would fill a house — and 

 if a stick were cut in the autumn, before the Avinter Avas over, it would 

 have lost its sap, and Avould not be eaten by the beaver. A beaver 

 never eats the bark of a tree that is dead, though he may guaAV a hard 

 piece of wood to keep his teeth doAvu. A little grass is generally found 

 in the houses, but is used as a bed and not for food. 



If February is an open month, tlie beavers begin to come 'out of 

 their retreats, and frequent any running Avater near them ; but it is 

 generally INIarch before the bulk of them come out of Avinter quarters. 

 AVhen they come out they are lean; but their furs are still good, and 



