In Beaver-Land 161 



the ice in winter, would have to go hun- 

 gry- 



In France the beavers are nearly all bank 

 beavers, and do not build houses. Probably, 

 because the streams are deep and sluggish, 

 and the water is of a uniform depth for the 

 entire year, but in America nearly all the 

 beavers are house-builders. Once in a while 

 a bank beaver is found in this country. He 

 makes his home in a burrow in the bank, as 

 the otter does, but his life is not as well or- 

 dered as that of the house beaver. 



The wood-cutting habit of the beaver is as 

 remarkable as his dam -building instinct. 

 When we see trees three or four feet in diam- 

 eter laid low, by these industrious rodents, 

 we cannot deny that they have patience, and 

 pluck. 



In cutting down trees the beaver stands 

 upon his hind legs, balancing himself on his 

 broad flat tail, and nips a girdle about the 

 tree. He then cuts another girdle above the 

 first, and pulls out the chip between. This 

 process is repeated until the forest monarch 



