60 February 1749. 



told me. At that time they faw one hank 

 after another raifed in the rivers by bea- 

 vers. But after the Europeans came over 

 in great number, and cultivated the coun- 

 try better, the beavers have been partly 

 killed, and partly extirpated, and partly 

 are removed higher into the country, 

 where the people are not fo numerous. 

 Therefore there is but a fir.gle place in 

 Tenfylvania where beavers are to be met 

 with ; their chief food is the bark of the 

 beaver- tree, or Magnolia glauca, which 

 they prefer to any other. The Swedes 

 therefore put branches of this tree near the 

 beaver-dykes, into traps, which they laid 

 for the beavers, whilft they were yet plen- 

 tiful ; and they could almoft be certain of 

 good fuccefs. Some perfons in Philadelphia 

 have tamed beavers, fo that they go a fill- 

 ing with them, and they always come back 

 to their mailers. Major Roderfert, in New 

 York, related that he had a tame beaver 

 above half a year in his houfe, where he 

 went about quite loofe, like a dog. The 

 major gave him bread, and fometimes fifh, 

 which he was very greedy of. He got as 

 much water in a bowl as he wanted. All 

 the ra^s and foft things he could meet with 

 he dragged into a corner, where he was ufed 

 to fleep, and made a bed of them. The 



cat 



