SUBSISTENCE OF BEAVERS. 179 



eter, they are about a foot and a half long; and when 

 three inches in diameter, they are about two feet long, 

 Poles from one to two inches in diameter are often 

 found eight, ten, and twelve feet in length; and also 

 cut up into short lengths from a few feet to a few 

 inches long. Short cuttings of these dimensions they 

 are able to roll for considerable distances, or drag with 

 their teeth to the water; after Avhich they are easily 

 transported to the vicinity of their lodges and there 

 sunk. I have, in my collection, a large assortment of 

 these cuttings of every size and variety, a selection 

 from which is represented in Plate XIV,, engraved 

 from a photograph of the originals. 



The four separate pieces shown in the engraving 

 which are marked No. 1, are bird's-eye maple denuded 

 of bark. This portion of the tree was six feet long 

 before it was cut into lengths, and from five to six 

 inches in diameter. It will be observed that the cut 

 ends are conical, showing that the beavers cut round 

 and round, in the process of doing which it is neces- 

 sary to turn the stick. One turning would probably 

 suffice to cut a limb three inches in diameter; but one 

 of the size of this would require several. The small 

 tree from which these cuttings were made grew upon 

 the border of the pond, and formed the part nearest 

 to the root. While the remainder of the tree was cut 

 up and removed, these were left from inability to take 

 them away. Near the root of the tree there was a 

 depression in the ground across which it fell, and 

 wdien cut into lengths the pieces rolled down into the 

 basin. The largest weighed eleven pounds and a half 

 in its dry state, and the smallest six. Finding their 

 removal impossible, they were stripped of their bark 



