470 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Fig. 139 — Life sketches of Beavers at work. 



are the 'barkstones' or castoreum glands, secreting castor 

 corresponding, according to Dr. W. W. Ely,^^ to the preputial 

 glands, and the smaller, the oil-stone, secreting a lubricant. 



The castor is a yellowish substance, commonly described 

 as "strong smelling." Its odour certainly is peculiar, but it 

 seems to me very faint. These two secretions are given off at 

 will by the animal, usually while voiding urine or excrement, 



and are a most important 

 though ill-comprehended 

 method of intercommuni- 

 cation. 



A trapper named 

 Prevost called the atten- 

 tion of Audubon and 

 Bachman^'' to a peculiar 

 habit of the Beaver. " He 

 said that when two Beaver 

 lodges are in the vicinity of each other the animals proceed 

 from one of them at night to a certain spot, deposit their cas- 

 toreum, and then return to their lodge. The Beavers in the 

 other lodge scenting this, repair to the same spot, cover it 

 over with earth, and then make a similar deposit on the top. 

 This operation is repeated by each party alternately until 

 quite a mound is raised, sometimes to the height of four or 

 five feet." 



Whatever the reason there can be no doubt that the smell 

 of castoreum has a wonderful fascination for the Beaver, and is 

 used almost universally by the trappers as a lure or charm to 

 decoy the fur-bearer to its fate. 



Nor is this infatuation confined to Beavers, for most 

 mammals respond to its dangerous attractions; and mixed 

 with various other substances to Intensify It or make it more 

 easy to handle. It forms a part of every trapper's stock In trade. 

 This probably Is the broad, underlying Idea: the product 

 of the gland varies with the age, sex, and condition of the indi- 

 vidual. The next Beaver that passes can get light on these 



^° Am. Beaver, p. 301. ^" Quad. N. A., 1849, Vol. I, p. 353. 



