HISTORY OF THE BEAVER. 211 



In general, they have hut two young ones at a litter: but 

 there are instances of old heavers having three, and even four, 

 young ones at a time. A single pair or couple undertake the 

 building ot' a dam, and when their offspring become too nu- 

 merous to dwell together in one house, they build for them- 

 selves. They drag all by their teeth, and roll none. They 

 take every advantage of the water they can, in conveying ma- 

 terials, food, &c. They are always on guard. 



They suckle their young sometimes sitting, and sometimes 

 lying down, much in the manner of a cat. They are extreme- 

 ly fond of their young. 



II. SaiMuel, an aged Indian of the Nanticok tribe, brought 

 up neart he sea-shore, in Maryland, and formerly a distinguish- 

 ed trapper of beavers, says, 



The beavers build their houses for the sake of breeding, for 

 their preservation, and for obtaining food. Their food is prin- 

 cipally Aspin-bark, Sassafras, the bark of Willows, and the root 

 of the Water-Lilly-. They eat no fish, nor feed on any flesh what- 

 ever. They do not like to go far from the water, for their 

 lood ; and, therefore, they dam up grounds, with a number of 

 Aspin-trees thereon, which may serve them for many years. 



They never work in the day-time, but do all their work, in 

 the evenings and mornings. They work together, and keep 

 a watch. In a large dam, there are sometimes eight or nine 

 houses. These houses are very dry, and clean in the inside. 

 They extend their dams, as they find it necessary. In Mary- 

 land, there was formerly one dam, which by means of frequent 

 enlargement, extended nine miles. They sometimes cut trees 

 eighteen inches in diameter. 



They frequently sit upon their hams, while suckling their 

 young, which stand before them, holding the pap or tit, with 

 their hands (fore-legs). They copulate in the fall, and, in ge- 

 neral, have but two young ones at a time: yet sometimes an 

 old beaver has three, and even four, at a time. They are much 

 attached to their young. Arc very cleanly. 



The beaver is a very cunning animal, so that it requires art 

 and ingenuity to deceive and catch them. They possess great 

 bodily strength; drag all by their teeth, walking backwards. 



