holes or tunnels and to excavate burrows and 

 water-basins. His hind feet are the chief propel- 

 ling power in swimming, although the tail, which 

 may be turned almost on edge and is capable of 

 diagonal movement, is sometimes brought into 

 play as a scull when the beaver is at his swiftest. 

 In the water beaver move about freely and ap- 

 parently with the greatest enjoyment. They are 

 delightfully swift and agile swimmers, in decided 

 contrast with their awkward slowness upon the 

 ground. They can swim two hundred yards under 

 water without once coming to the surface, and 

 have the ability to remain under water from five 

 to ten minutes. On one occasion a beaver re- 

 mained under water longer than eleven minutes, 

 and came to the top none the worse, apparently, 

 for this long period of suspended breathing. 



It is in standing erect that the beaver is at his 

 best. In this attitude the awkwardness and the 

 dull appearance of all-fours are absent, and he 

 is a statue of alertness. With feet parallel and in 

 line, tail at right angles to the body and resting 

 horizontally on the ground, and hands held against 

 the breast, he has the happy and childish eager- 

 6 



