522 CHARACTER STUDY OF A BEAVER. 



utmost deliberation and rare, and occupied more than a ({uart(>r of an 

 hour, so that ])v the time it was completed (hiylijiht had ahnost van- 

 ished. My presence did not appear to disturb him in the k^ast, though 

 I sat on the ground within 3 feet of him, that I might the better note 

 his various attitudes, for it is not often one has an opportunity of 

 watching a beaver at such close range. 



He had just completed his toilet when the night watchman, whose 

 duty it is to feed the nocturnal animals, arrived with a basket of stale 

 bread and fresh vegetal)les. These he threw into the inclosure, the 

 vegetal)les on the bank, and the bread into the water. Mr. Beaver 

 well und(U'stood the meaning of these splashes, and as soon as the 

 keeper had disajjpeared he plunged into the water, utterly regardless 

 of his newl}' dried jacket, over which he had taken so nnich trouble, 

 and seizing one of the half loaves of bread in his hands, swam to a 

 shallow part of the pond to eat it. He tirst held the loaf in his hands, 

 nuich after the manner in which a scjuirnd holds a nut; but the soaked 

 bread fell apart, so he made a bowl of his hands and lapped the wet 

 crinn))s out of it. In this way not a particle was lost. 



Piece after piece of bread was eaten in this manner, when he came 

 ashore and made short w'ork of the carrots and potatoes. It was quite 

 dark by this time, and as it was impossible to see anything more, I 

 was obliged to leave him, with the hope that in the near future I might 

 continue the acquaintance so pleasantly ])egun. B}^ that time, let us 

 hope, he will no longer })e solitary. l)ut will have taken to himself a 

 mate whose disposition will be as good as his own; then a house will 

 be built, and the two will live as well-regulated and happy beavers — 

 and human beiuirs — should. 



-r(cri>j<— 



