PREFACE. XI 



tion. First among them is my friend, Samuel P. Ely, Esq., now 

 a resident of Marquette, and Vice-President and Managing Di- 

 rector of the Marquette and Ontonagon Railroad Company. He 

 has taken a cordial interest in the subject, joined me in some ex- 

 peditions, and seconded my efforts in every possible way. The 

 inscription of this volume to him is but a slight recognition of the 

 part he has taken in the collection of the materials. To Hon. 

 Peter White, of Marquette; to •Cornelius Donkersley, Esq., Su- 

 perintendent; L. K. Dorrance, Esq., former Chief Engineer ; and 

 William H. Steele, Esq., Assistant Engineer of the same Rail- 

 road, I am also indebted for many personal favors ; and to 

 Charles H. Kavis, the present Chief Engineer, as well. I desire 

 also to mention the friendly and faithful services of Wm. Badger, 

 who has spent many nights with me encamped by beaver dams,. 

 and who, as a camp master and explorer, possesses high qualifi- 

 cations. To Capt. Daniel Wilson, an experienced trapper, as 

 well as an accui'ate observer, I am indebted for valuable inform- 

 ation. I am also indebted to William Cameron, William Bass, 

 Paul Pine, and Jack La Pete, Ojibwa trappers, for an acquaint- 

 ance with the " beaver lore" of the Indians, which is both curious 

 and instructive. I desire also to mention my friend, (Jeorge S. 

 Riley, Esq., of Rochester, to whom I am indebted for valuable 

 suggestions. There are still others whose names would be neces- 

 sary to complete the list of those who have contributed in various 

 ways to the materials contained in this volume, whose friendly 

 offices are remembered with much pleasure. 



It is perhaps superfluous to name my friend, Dr. W. W. Ely, 

 of Rochester, since he is a direct contributor to these pages. 

 Having articulated the skeleton represented in Plate III., he ex- 

 pressed a willingness to dissect a pair of beavers if they could be 

 obtained, which was accordingly done. The carefully prepared 

 and accurate presentation which he has made of this subject will 

 furnish ample materials for the further comparison of the Amer- 

 ican and European beavers. 



Rochester, November, 1867. 



