1936] 



MAMMALS OF OREGON 



219 



Valleys and two skins and skulls from Nehalem in Tillamook 

 County, can be referred to pacifieus, although showing considerable 

 variation. 



A century ago beavers were abundant in almost every lake and 

 stream in Oregon, so abundant that the first trapping expeditions 

 brought back rich returns in fur from the least-inhabited parts of 

 the State. In the vicinity of extensive Indian settlements the 

 beavers were less numerous, or even scarce, in those da?ys, and in a 

 comparatively few years of vigorous trapping they became scarce 

 over the whole State, and later, while unrestricted trapping was 

 allowed, they were reduced to the verge of extermination. 



In 1805 Lewis and Clark reported beavers along the Lower Colum- 

 bia. In 1812 Franchere, on a 20-day trip up the river from Astoria, 

 brought back "450 skins 

 of beaver and other ani- 

 mals of the furry tribe." 

 In December 1825 Peter 

 Skene Ogden, with his 

 large party of trappers, 

 found beavers scarce along 

 the Columbia and lower 

 Deschutes, but east of the 

 Deschutes on Hay Creek, 

 Trout Creek, and Crooked 

 Kiver they began to get 

 from 15 to 29 beavers a 

 day. Still farther east on 

 the branches of John Day 

 River, they took generally 

 20 to 28 a day, and in 

 January took 215 beavers 

 and 16 otters. On Burnt River they took but 54 beavers but blamed 

 the cold weather and thick ice for their not getting the 3,000 skins 

 expected in planning this midwinter trip across new territory. 



A small party of Ogden's trappers was sent up the Owyhee the 

 following winter, and although attacked by Indians and robbed of 

 their horses, they brought back 650 beaver skins, while another party 

 took 81 beavers in a brief time on the Malheur River. In this sea- 

 son's round, his trappers over the State from October 1826 to March 

 22, 1827, took 2,230 beavers and otters (only a few of the latter) 

 (1910, p. 217). 



West of the Cascades beavers were reported as plentiful along the 

 Willamette River in 1811-17 (Cox, 1832, p. 101), but in 1824 Douglas 

 (Hooker, 1836, p. 101) reported them as "now scarce" although the 

 valley had at one time been considered the finest hunting ground for 

 beaver west of the Rocky Mountains. In 1827 Ogden first reached 

 the Rogue River, only to be informed by the Indians that the trap- 

 pers from the Willamette had visited the river and taken all the 

 beavers (1910, p. 217). 



In 1860 Lord, traveling northward along the headwaters of the 

 Deschutes River, reported " every stream thronged with beavers " 

 and trees up to 4 feet in circumference cut down by them (1866, p. 



FIGDBE 50. Range of three forms of beavers occur- 

 ring in Oregon: 1, Castor canadensis paoificus; 

 2, C. c. shastensis; 3, C. c. baileyi. 



