The Beaver, 143 



ized colonies, as it has generally been supposed 

 they do. He seems to think that they work as 

 families ; but that each family is quite distinct in all 

 its works from every other family around the pond. 

 He supposes that a Beaver-dam Is generally begun 

 by a single pair, and that it grows by the labors of 

 all the Beavers inhabiting the pond in after years ; 

 but that each Beaver works by himself, in making 

 the additions or repairs, except where a great inju- 

 ry calls many to work at the same time. Then 

 they do not come as an organization under leaders, 

 but each does the best he can. He certainly 

 makes out a very clear case of the community sys- 

 tem, so far as the inmates of a single lodge are con- 

 cerned ; — and the impression is left on some minds 

 that there is something like concerted action on 

 the part of all the families, inhabiting a pond, for 

 the preservation of the dam. Certain It Is, that 

 members of each lodge do their part of the work, 

 whether they do it in concert with the others or 

 not ; and they do it in such a manner that the re- 

 sult is the same as that of organized action. We 

 find dams, and lodges, and burrows for escape. 

 There is a straight entrance to the lodge for the in- 

 troducing of wood, and an abrupt entrance with 

 winding channels, for the- escape of the occupants, 

 in case of danger. There is the cutting of timber, 

 sometimes of trees two feet in diameter. Wood Is 

 stored up beneath the waters for winter food ; but 

 how it is kept under the water, no one can yet tell 

 with certainty. The refuse wood, after the bark Is 

 removed, is preserved for repairing the lodges and 



