234 THE AMERICAN BEAVER. 



taken by the fore leg, — that is, they catch a foot in- 

 stead of the animal, — and they endeavor so to set their 

 traps that the hind feet will be most likely to tread 

 upon their pans. The true explanation of their ex- 

 trication from traps, when caught by the fore legs, is 

 probably found in the relative smallness of the bones 

 of these legs, and in their frantic efforts to escape. 

 Running around the trap would easily snap them off, 

 after which the rending of the skin would be quickly 

 effected. That such is the true explanation, receives 

 confirmation from the fact that the tendons of the leg 

 are usually found pulled out from the shoulder, and 

 still attached to the foot in the trap; which would 

 have been severed by the teeth before the bones of 

 the leg, had the beaver attempted to bite off the 

 latter. 



Beavers caught in traps, and not drowned, some- 

 times become entirely tame from the effects of ex- 

 haustion. Mr. Atchinson, before mentioned, informed 

 the author that he once found a beaver alive in his 

 trap, and completely tamed. He said, to use his own 

 language, "that it looked at him with such an entreat- 

 ing and submissive expression, that he could not find 

 it in his heart to kill him." He resolved to save his 

 life, and take him to the museum at Marquette. On 

 placing his hand upon the beaver's head, and passing it 

 along his back, the latter showed no disposition to bite, 

 or aversion to this familiarity. After taking him out 

 of the trap, he held and fed him in his lap; and then 

 carried him on his back for sixteen miles, through 

 the forest, to the railroad station. The journey 

 proved too rough for the exhausted beaver, and he 

 died the followin<2; mornine;. This tameness was un- 



