112 THE AMERICAN BEAVER. 



on all sides, except where the dam brought up the 

 deficiency; and a small spring supplied the water in 

 quantities barely sufficient to change the waters of 

 the pond. To prevent the escape of the water, the 

 dam was extended until it reached the length of one 

 hundred and thirty-three feet; after which the surplus 

 was discharged through it by percolation. The lower 

 face of the dam was constructed of sticks and twigs 

 interlaced, and the water slope was an embankment 

 of earth. Its height varied from one foot to two 

 feet and a half, with a difference of level in the water 

 above and below the dam of twenty inches at the 

 highest part of the structure. The pond was too 

 small to afford much protection to its occupants; but 

 this deficiency was in some measure compensated by 

 the abundance of hard wood upon its margin, and by 

 the seclusion afforded by the density of the surround- 

 ing forest. It seemed surprising, nevertheless, that a 

 beaver family should take up their residence within 

 an eighth of a mile of the line of the railroad, on 

 which nine trains per day each way were then (1860) 

 running. With their reputed shyness and caution 

 they were evidently waiting for some overt act of 

 hostile interference before they surrendered their hab- 

 itation. The snare was already prepared for them, 

 for on the day I measured the dam I saw two traps, 

 set in the usual manner, in the pond. Upon the im- 

 pulse of the moment, I was in the act of springing 

 them, to save the inoffensive mutes from their peril, 

 when it occurred to me that I had no indefeasible 

 right thus to interfere with the vocation of the trap- 

 per; whereupon, with some misgivings that I had 

 failed to perform my duty, I left them to the chances 



