ont 



graceful swimmer, and in the water can move 

 easily and evade enemies ; while on land he is an 

 awkward lubber, moves slowly, and is easily over- 

 taken. Water of sufficient depth and area, then, 

 is essential to the life and happiness of the beaver. 

 To have this at all times it is necessary, in local- 

 ities where the supply is at times insufficient, to 

 maintain it by means of dams and ponds. 



Deep ponds are needed around the house; 

 shallow ponds with shores in near-by groves 

 facilitate far-away logging. Dams are placed 

 across streams whose waters are to be led away 

 through new channels and made to serve else- 

 where in canals or ponds. Dams are made across 

 inclined canals to catch and hold water in them. 

 Streams are beaver's avenues of travel. Along 

 shallow streams in a beaver country it is not un- 

 common to see an occasional short dam which 

 forms a deep hole, which apparently is maintained 

 as a harbor or place of safety into which travel- 

 ing beaver may dive and be made safe from 

 pursuit. 



Most beaver dams are built on the installment 

 plan. They are the result of growth. The new 

 69 



