HABITS OF BEAVERS. 235 



ally large heads. They had also killed two 

 moose, two black bears, a wolf and a beaver ; 

 but had only seen three wild sheep — a ewe and 

 lamb, and a two-year old ram. 



Mr. Sheldon and I might have shot a consider- 

 able number of beavers, as we saw several every 

 day all the way down nearly to the junction of 

 the Macmillan with the Pelly River. In the 

 evenings they were very tame, and as long as we 

 made no noise would sit on the bank, watching 

 the canoes as they drifted quietly past them, 

 without showing any signs of alarm. Some- 

 times they even swam out to examine the 

 strange apparitions, diving down when quite 

 close to us, and after having got our wind, I 

 suppose. 



In diving, as I have previously related, the 

 beaver always brings its large flat tail down on 

 the water with a loud slap that can be heard at a 

 considerable distance. This action is said to 

 be an alarm signal, and certainly ought to give 

 notice to all other beavers within hearing that 

 one of their number had dived under water in 

 a hurry. However, on two occasions when a 



