THE MAMMALS OF NEW JERSEY. 'jy 



Family CASTORID^. 



Beavers. 



One species found in Europe and one in America the latter 

 divisible into several races. 



Genus Castor Linnaeus. 

 Beaver. 



Castor canadensis carolinensis Rhoads. 

 Southeastern Beaver. 



Plate 32. 



Length 44 inches. Tail broad, flat and naked; second toe of 

 the hind foot with two claws. Body thick and heavy, closely 

 furred, dark bay or blackish brown, hairs tipped with chestnut, 

 ears black, feet, legs and underparts seal brown. 



The beaver that originally occurred in New Jersey was the 

 southern or Carolina Beaver somewhat lighter and larger than 

 the Northern or Canadian form. It is now nearly extinct every- 

 where, and according to the information collected by Mr. Rhoads, 

 the last New Jersey specimens were killed about 1820. All that 

 we have left of the native beaver are traces of dams in various 

 streams of south Jersey. One very large one that I have vis- 

 ited is located on Nescochaque branch of the Mullica river and 

 is now a great stretch of grassy land interspersed with bogs. 

 The original damming and flooding killed off the trees and they 

 have never grown again. 



Beavers were in the habit of building large lodges somewhat 

 like those of the muskrats, but unlike the muskrats they also 

 constructed great dams which backed up the water and made the 

 necessary lakes or ponds for the building of the lodges. In the 

 construction of these dams great trees were cut down, gnawed 

 through near the base by the tireless animals and cut up into 

 lengths, the whole colony working at the undertaking. In August, 



