28 Transactions of the 



The Beaver lives both in burrows and 'lodges.' The 

 former are generally found along the edges of rivulets, and 

 they are often of some extent, communicating directly with 

 the water, and having an opening for air on the land. It is 

 perhaps most generally in the summer that these burrows 

 are tenanted, but not unfrequently the trapper surprises 

 Beavers in them in the midst of winter. The ' lodges ' or 

 ' houses ' are found beside the dams, and as their mode of 

 construction is a very interesting one, it will be worth while 

 to describe it briefly. 



It is a difficult thing to recognise one of these lodges at 

 first sight. The traveller would seek in vain for the neatly- 

 built and carefully-plastered houses which he had read of, 

 and perhaj)s seen figured. A pile of sticks loosely heaped 

 up here and there along the banks of the stream would be 

 all that could attract his attention besides the dam itself. 

 No wonder, for it is beneath these heaps of sticks that the 

 lodges are to be found. They are very roughly built, merely 

 consisting of piles of wood mingled with mud, stones, and 

 roots, and much less care seems to be bestowed upon them 

 than on the dam : for, indeed, all the Beaver wants here is a 

 dry resting-place which shall open towards the water. The 

 top of the house is very strong, thickly covered with mud 

 and other materials, and it becomes as firm as adamant when 

 the severe frosts of winter come on. As far as this portion 

 of it goes, the lodge is quite impregnable, and the Beavers 

 within it are safe from their dread enemy the wolverene.^ 



No doubt it is partly to conceal their lodges from view 

 that the Beavers cover them with the piles of sticks men- 

 tioned above. The lodge generally is of a circular form, six 

 or seven feet in diameter, and three in height. It projects 

 altogether about four to six feet above water. The animals 

 seem to do their building for the most part by night, but 

 they are so easily alarmed that it is difficult at any time to 

 watch their movements. So far as has been ascertained, 

 however, they convey the mud and stones for their lodges 

 between their throat and fore-paws, and the small logs they 

 drag along by their teeth, having previously gnawed away 

 all outstanding branches. Wlien a trunk proves too much 

 for one animal's strengh he is assisted by others, and the 

 house is rapidly heaped up, the only precaution taken being 

 that a circular hole shall be left in the middle. No such 

 thing as ' plastering ' takes place. The fables which have 



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