that the Beaver lives in colonies, consist- of food. "Each cabin has its own maga- 



ing of several families, and builds its zine, proportioned to the number of its in- 



"lodges." Nearer civilization it lives in habitants, who have all a common right 



burrows or tunnels. In the building of to the store and never pillage their neigh- 



their homes, as well as in the storing of bors." 



a supply of food, the female is the most The American Indians look upon the 



active and is the practical builder, while Beaver with great respect. They believe 



the male assists. that it is possessed of a degree of intelli- 



Brehm writes interestingly regarding gence second only to that of man. Some 



the Beaver. He says : "After mature de- Indians even assert that it possesses an 



liberation the animals select a stream or immortal soul. Its sagacity is certainly 



pool, the banks of which afford them am- very strong and it will easily adapt itseU" 



pie provender and seem specially adapted to changed environments. Unlike the 



for the construction of their 'lodges.' other rodents, it seems to reason before 



Those which live singly dwell in simple acting and will build its habitations in the 



subterranean burrows, after the manner form that the surrounding conditions de- 



of otters ; societies, which generally con- mand for the construction of the most 



sist of families, as a rule construct houses durable home. 



and, if there should be a necessity for it, The Beaver, especially when young, is 



dams, in order to hold back the water and quite easily domesticated. Various 



preserve it at a uniform height. Some of writers speak of rinding tame Beavers in 



these dams are from four hundred and Indian villages, where they seemed to be 



fifty to six hundred feet long, from six to perfectly at home and contented. They 



nine feet high, from twelve to eighteen were allowed full liberty. "They seemed 



feet thick at the base and from three to six to feel quite comfortable in the society of 



feet at the top. They consist of logs vary- the Indian women and children ; they 



ing in size from the thickness of an arm to grew restless in their absence and showed 



that of a thigh and from three to six feet much pleasure on their return." 

 long. One end of the log or stake is The young, which number from two to 



thrust in the ground, the other stands up- three, are born blind, but are covered 



right in the water ; the logs are fastened with fur. They usually obtain their sight 



together by means of thin twigs and made in from eight to ten days, and are then led 



tight with reeds 1 , mud and earth, in such a to the water by the mother, 

 way that one side presents a nearly ver- Early in the nineteenth century Dr. 



tical, firm wall to the stream, while the George Shaw wrote as follows regarding 



other side is sloped. From the ponds the habits of the Beaver : "They collect 



rising above the dams, canals are con- in September their provisions of bark and 



structed to facilitate the carrying or float- wood ; after which they enjoy the fruits 



ing of the necessary construction ma- of their labors, and taste the sweets of 



terials and food. Beavers do not forsake domestic happiness. Knowing and lov- 



a settlement they have founded unless the ing one another from habit, from the 



direst necessity compels them to do so. pleasures and fatigues of a common 



Beavers' lodges, the origin of which dates labor, each couple join' not by chance, nor 



very far back, are often found in lonely by the pressing necessities of nature, but 



woods." unite from choice and from taste. They 



The Beaver usually feeds upon the bark pass together the autumn and the winter, 



of the younger branches of trees and Perfectly satisfied with each other, they 



shrubs and upon their leaves. It will also never separate. At ease in their cabins, 



strip the older branches, in a very skillful they go not out but upon agreeable or 



manner, and eat the inner tender portion useful excursions, to bring in supplies of 



of the bark. During the fall and early fresh bark, which they prefer to what is 



winter months they work constantly in too dry or too much moistened with 



preparing and storing, in the neighbor- water." 

 hood of their lodges, the winter's supply 



173 



