SUBSISTENCE OF BEAVERS. 175 



part of Carp River, the present summer, which meas- 

 ured eighteen inches in its greatest diameter below 

 the incision, and fourteen above. They had com- 

 menced and cut round the tree in two places higher 

 up, finally completing the work at a third and lower 

 place. It is an interesting specimen for this reason, 

 although somewhat weather-worn, since it shows the 

 appearance of a tree cutting at different stages of its 

 depth. None of its branches were either cut or re- 

 moved by the beavers. These rings show that the 

 cutting was commenced near the close of winter, in 

 deep snow; and that the deepest and lowest cutting 

 was made after the snows had wasted nearly to the 

 ground. As few chips remained, it was evident that 

 the incision was made for the purpose of eating the 

 wood. This specimen is now in the State Collection 

 at Albany. 



The foregoing are fair specimens, as to size, of the 

 tree cuttings in the Lake Superior region, and are 

 among the largest of the hard-wood trees usually cut 

 down by the beavers. I have a number of speci- 

 mens of all sizes from six to eighteen inches in 

 diameter, all of which were cut in the same manner, 

 and present the same external marks and conical 

 form at the cut ends. Those described are not un- 

 usually large. I have seen many others of equal size 

 at places inconvenient for removal. One yellow birch 

 at the head of Lake Flora, partly cut down, measured 

 five feet and four inches in circumference below the 

 incision, and four feet and six inches above, with but 

 nine inches in diameter at the centre still uncut. 



The chips at the foot of a fresh cut tree are quite 

 abundant, as well as objects of curiosity. I have 



