192 THE AMERICAN BEAVER. 



and trappers, I doubted their artificial character, and 

 supposed them referable to springs as their producing 

 cause; but their form, location, and evident object 

 showed conclusively that they were beaver excava- 

 tions. They are not mentioned, as far as I am aware, 

 in any of the current accounts of this animal, for 

 which reason, as well as their extraordinary character, 

 they are deserving of more than a general notice. 



From the preceding engravings an impression has 

 been obtained of the character of the forest in the 

 vicinity of dams and ponds. It will be observed that 

 the tamarack and spruce are the prevailing trees upon 

 the borders of the streams. These evergreen trees 

 are themselves indicative of swamp lands. Both the 

 Esconauba and the Carp flow through low grounds, 

 which, widening out in places into flats, are invariably 

 covered with these trees; with the exception of the 

 areas of the -beaver meadows. Birch, maple, poplar, 

 and ash are found upon the first high ground; but 

 often at the distance of several hundred feet from the 

 original channel of the stream. In some places these 

 rivers cut the high banks, thus bringing the deciduous 

 trees within reach; but the latter are some distance 

 back at the greater proportion of the ponds shown on 

 the map. It is one of the principal objects of dams 

 on the small streams, which are without defined 

 banks, to flood the low grounds with a pond, and thus 

 obtain a water connection with the first high ground 

 upon which the hard wood is found. Where the pond 

 fails to accomplish this fully, and also where the 

 banks are defined and mark the limits of the pond, 

 the deficiency is supplied by the canals in question. 

 On descending surfaces, as has elsewhere been stated, 



