466 THE COYPU RAT. 



The Beaver (Castor fiber) is regarded by some naturalists as being unique in species. Two 

 well-marked varieties at least are known. The American one is larger than the European. 

 The habits are different in some respects. The European form does not build dams and houses 

 to the extent seen in this country. 



The Beaver is the largest of living rodents save the great Capybara of South America, 

 which is about a third larger. 



The habitat of the Beaver extends from the borders of the Arctic Seas to the Gulf of 

 Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They are seldom found now east of the 

 Mississippi. Occasionally one is captured in Maine, New York, and Virginia. In some portions 

 of Canada and California they are yet numerous. 



A small number of Beavers are known to inhabit a stream that enters into the west branch 

 of the St. Regis River, in Franklin County, New York. It is probably the colony referred to 

 by Dr. DeKay in his New York State Reports on Natural History, in 1842. Considerable 

 pains is taken to preserve this colony, as these creatures are fast going out of existence. 



Mr. Morgan, of Syracuse, New York, has contributed the most valuable amount of litera- 

 ture, on the subject of the Beaver, extant. In the Central Park Museum are two logs of trees 

 sent by him. These are of yellow birch, a favorite kind with the Beaver, and they show the 

 effects of the gnawing to the extent of being cut about two-thirds through. The diameter 

 of the trees is about eighteen inches. One is cut considerably more on one side than on the 

 other. It is said that the creature exercises an amount of intelligence that prompts him 

 to thus cut the trunk, that it may fall as near to the requisite position as can be. These 

 larger trunks are used for the first layers in dam-building. Mr. Morgan is the first scientific 

 person that has ever succeeded in witnessing the work of Beavers. The creatures work at 

 night, and are very shy, immediately retiring when disturbed by the slightest sound. 



Mr. Morgan was a civil engineer, on duty near Lake Superior. Being camped near the 

 Beaver meadows, he watched many nights, and at last, during a moonlight night, was able to 

 make some very interesting observations of the habits of these animals. 



His book on the American Beaver is full of new and valuable material. His descriptions 

 of the construction of canals by Beavers are wonderful. He found a series of canals cut in the 

 direction of trees that were desirable for use in building dams. These canals were connected 

 with the water of the pond or lake, and any logs that the Beavers had prepared were easily 

 transported through them. The Beaver's fore-legs are very short, and are not used in swim- 

 ming. When they moved the logs in the water, the paws were placed upon them, and while 

 the hind legs, well webbed, were making vigorous strokes behind, the log was pushed and 

 guided to its destination. Morgan says the Beaver does not use the tail for any purpose 

 but that of steering while swimming. He regards the old stories about the use of the tail as a 

 trowel, as exploded and untrue. One of the canals measured by Mr. Morgan was five hundred 

 feet in length the trees coveted by the animals being that distance away from the lake. 



THE COYPU RAT, or RACOONDA, as it is sometimes termed, is a native of Central America, 

 where it is found in such great numbers that its beautiful fur is imported into Europe in very 

 large quantities. 



The color of this animal is a light reddish -brown, the hairs being variegated with both 

 tints, not unlike that of the beaver in character and general appearance. Indeed, the creature 

 bears a great resemblance to a miniature beaver, with the exception of its tail, which is long 

 and rounded, instead of being flattened like that of the true beaver. The incisor teeth are a 

 light reddish-orange, and are very conspicuous even at some distance. The length of a full- 

 grown Coypu is about two feet six inches, its tail being about fifteen inches long. 



It is a quick and lively animal, and very amusing in its habits. It swims nearly, if not 

 quite, as well as the beaver, using its webbed hind feet in much the same manner. It is 

 wonderfully dexterous in the use of its fore-paws, which it uses as if they were hands, while it 

 sits upright on its hinder paws and tail. I have often watched the funny antics of the Coypus 

 in the Zoological Gardens, and have been much amused by the manner in which they traverse 

 their domains, and examine everything that seems to be novel. If a tuft of grass is thrown to 



