CHARACTERISTICS AND HABITAT. 23 



of them, and sixty pounds for the third. ^ One mounted 

 specimen in my collection was a full-grown tbree- 

 3'ear old beaver when taken, and weighed thirty-five 

 pounds. He measured from the tip of the nose to the 

 end of the tail, three feet and eight inches ; around 

 the centre of the abdomen two feet and one inch ; and 

 around the head, back of the ears, one foot and two 

 inches. That part of the tail which is covered with 

 scales measured nine inches in length, and four and a 

 half in width at the centre, from which point it nar- 

 rowed in both directions. A second mounted speci- 

 men, also in my collection, and a male, weighed, when 

 taken, thirty-two pounds, and measured in his greatest 

 length three feet six and a quarter inches; around 

 the centre of the abdomen two feet two and a half 

 inches; and around the neck, back of the ears, one 

 foot two and a half inches. A third mounted speci- 

 men, the one represented in Plate I., and also in my 

 collection, was a two-year old beaver, and a female, 

 and weighed twenty-nine and a half pounds. She 

 measured in her greatest length three feet six and a 

 quarter inches; around the centre of the abdomen two 

 feet ; and around the neck, back of ears, oiiie foot one 

 inch. The skeleton represented in Plate III., now in 

 my collection, is that of a female beaver, fidl grown, 

 and three years old and upwards. She Aveighed forty- 

 three and a half pounds, and measured in her greatest 

 length three feet six inches; around the centre of the 

 abdomen two feet and six inches ; and around the 

 neck, back of ears, one foot three inches. That part 

 of the tail covered with scales measured ten inches in 



^ One caught by Capt. Daniel Wilson weighed 58 pounds, and 

 two by John Armstrong weighed respectively 58 and GO pounds. 



