HISTORY OF VERMONT. 113 



there are several kinds of mice to be found in 

 the woods, which have not been described. 

 The grey rat, the black rat, and the water rat, have 

 now become common ; though but a few years 

 since, they were not to be found in any part of 

 the state. 



The quadrupeds which have been described, 

 are to be found only upon the land. There are 

 others of an ampJiih'tom nature, which live upoa 

 the land, or in the Avater ; "these are to be found 

 in the rivers, ponds, and lakes. 



One of the most sagacious and usetjiil of 

 these, is the Beaver. On account of his nat- 

 ural constitution and instincts, his social nature, 

 the works he performs, and the uses to which he 

 is applied, the beaver is the most extraordinary 

 of all our animals, and deserves a more particu- 

 lar description. 



The American beaver is between three and 

 four feet in leuQ-th, and weip'hs from forty to 

 sixty pounds. His head is like that of a rat, in- 

 clined to the earth ; his back rises in an arch 

 between his head and tail. His teeth are long, 

 broad, strong, and sharp. Four of these, two 

 in the upper, and two in the under jaw, are cal- 

 led incisors. These teeth project one or two 

 inches beyond the jaw, and are shai*p, and curv- 

 ed, like a carpenter's gouge. In his fore feet 

 the toes are separate, as if designed to answer 

 the purposes of fingers and hands : His hind 

 feet are accommodated with v/ebs, suited to the 

 purpose of swimming. His tail is a foot long, 

 an inch thick, and five or six inches broad : It 

 is covered with scales, and with a- ski'n similar 

 to that of fish 



