74 THE NATUEALIST IN NOEWAY. 



even in his sleep ; and thus, in the most severe north- 

 ern winter,, he can always dive into and swim about 

 in his proper element ! Next to the tail, the most im- 

 portant article about the beaver is the front teeth ; 

 these incisors are long and sharp, and are protected 

 by a yellowish-red enamel. With these teeth, the 

 creature fells trees, such as the willow, birch, and 

 poplar, which grow near the water. According !to 

 Pontoppidan, when the beavers wish to get their build- 

 ing materials to the localities chosen for their habita- 

 tions, they use one of their fellows as a waggon, and 

 the rest drag along this strange vehicle by seizing the 

 porfcer-beaver by the throat with their teeth. Hie 

 beaver which was thus used as a beast of burden was 

 laid on his back, with his legs extended as far apart as 

 possible, between which the branches of the trees were 

 placed, and thus one load after another was conveyed 

 to its destination. "This work/' adds the bishop, 

 " makes the back of the beaver bald, as all the hair 

 upon it is lost, which hair in other cases is thought 

 most highly of, and is, as is well known, used for the 

 finest hats, as well as for a sort of fine cloth." It is 

 interesting, therefore, to know that beaver hats were 

 worn in Norway so far back as the middle of last 

 century. 



The beaver is republican in his notions, and ba- 

 nishes from his society any member that has com- 

 mitted a serious offence against good government. 

 The beaver thus exiled is shunned by all his former 

 companions ; he wanders away from his tribe, and lives 

 in a hole which he burrows in the ground. It is just 

 possible that the beavers mentioned by Pontoppidan as 

 employed as beasts of burden were some incorrigible 



