THE BEAVER. 235 



do not live in Europe in large companies or herds as they 

 do in America, but only in solitude, and in this state they 

 haunt secondary rivers, such as the Gard and the Garden. 

 There are a few on the banks and islands of the Rhone, 

 but as these creatures are averse to noise, the splashing of 

 the steamers plying to and fro has driven most of them away. 

 They give a decided preference to such streams as are over- 

 shadowed by the willow, of the bark of which they are ex- 

 ceedingly fond. The beaver is also to be found as far north 

 as the Saone, in those valleys where there is peat-ground. 

 It lives in Spain, in Italy, and in Greece, but always solitary 

 and fugitive. This curious animal is not only called Castor 

 Americanus, but also Castor Gallicus, and not without reason, 

 since the fossil remains of the genus are sufficient to attest 

 their having been very numerous in France at some remote 

 period. The little stream of the Bievre derives its name 

 from its having been the habitat of these creatures ; its 

 resemblance to the English name beaver need hardly be 

 alluded to. In Europe this amphibious animal does not build 

 those substantial and commodious dwellings which have ren- 

 dered it so celebrated, because the rapacity and spirit of 

 destruction so common in man have made it suspicious and 

 cautious." 



The American Writing of the American Beaver Dr. Godman 

 Beaver. says: "Beavers are not particular in the site 

 they select for the establishment of their dwellings, but if in 

 a lake or pond, where a dam is not required, they are careful 

 to build where the water is sufficiently deep. In standing 

 waters, however, they have not the advantage afforded by a 

 current for the transportation of their supplies of wood, which, 

 when they build on a running stream, is always cut higher 

 up than the place of their residence, and floated down. The 

 materials used for the construction of their dams are the 

 trunks and branches of small birch, mulberry, willow, and 

 poplar trees. They begin to cut down their timber for build- 



