SOME INTERESTING BEAVER DAMS IN COLORADO 437 



Below Crested Butte I have not seen any recent beaver sign, 

 but there are old beaver meadows along the stream, and the 

 old grass-grown dams may be seen occasionally. 



The Colorado law against the taking of beaver is quite strict 

 and though perhaps not as well enforced as it might be, is still 

 sufficient to deter people from molesting them so close to a 

 town. 



A fence post in the fence shown on the map (PI. xxv) as cross- 

 ing the river below the lower long dam was cut down by beavers, 

 and the owners of the land in setting a new one were obliged 

 to protect it with sheet iron. The post was a green aspen, and 

 set close to the river bank. 



The tree shown in the photograph (PI. xxxiv) was cut by 

 beaver on another stream some 15 miles northwesterly from 

 Crested Butte. There were 3 trees at this place cut by the 

 animals within a short distance of each other, all close to the 

 creek bank, and of the 3 one fell toward the water, one away 

 from it and the third lay parallel with the bank. In examining 

 these trees to see if there was any special reason for their being 

 felled in this way, it seemed to me as if they had been attacked 

 from the most convenient side and allowed to fall as they would. 

 I know that many claim that beavers fall their trees in any direc- 

 tion they wish; and perhaps they do, but I must confess I am 

 inclined to doubt it. At least 2 of the above-mentioned trees 

 would have been much handier to get at to cut up if they had 

 been dropped in another direction and there was nothing to 

 prevent that so far as obstructions were concerned, and these 

 are not the only instances of the kind I have seen. 



Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., February, 1905. 



