6O ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



Strange to say, no other beaver after coming to the 

 surface, even stopped to look or sniff, but started to work as 

 though he were a fireman at a fire,, and in one-fourth of the 

 time it had taken me to start the water, they had stopped it 

 entirely. Now the regular work went on again without in- 

 terruption until all parts of the dam were of uniform height. 

 After a fearful beating of the surface with their tails, all 

 of the animals jumped into the pond and began swimming 

 as if in perfect delight. Then the old superintendent went 

 all over the newly constructed dam, going last to the point 

 just finished, which he gave a few pelts with his tail. He 

 then joined the others in the swimming celebration. When 

 I alighted from the tree, the customary alarm was given and 

 all the beavers disappeared. I was soon on my horse wend- 

 ing my way to camp, and passed beaver dams until I had to 

 leave the creek bottom and take the higher ground. 



Years of careful study and close observation have con- 

 vinced me that there are two species of beaver in this coun- 

 try, one having a larger inferior jaw, curving more than the 

 other, with two double toenails on the inside of the front 

 foot. This is contrary to the clasification of zoologists, who 

 declare that the bank beaver, which builds in steep banks, 

 differs from those who build houses of logs and brush. 

 Beavers build as necessity compels. Where banks which do 

 not overflow are available, they build there, but where such 

 banks are not to be found, they build houses out of logs, 

 interlined with brush daubed with mud. 



Six beavers are able to roll a log one foot in diameter 

 and eight feet long. They often cut cottonwood logs and 

 carry them into water where there is a hole deep and still. 

 When the log sinks from the weight of the absorbed water, 

 it is secured firmly and in winter the bark is eaten from 

 the log, the log is pulled out into the current and floats off. 



I have seen cottonwood trees four feet in diameter 



