104 ] Animals in the Wild 



trowel to pat down mud. Actually he works with his fore feet some- 

 times with the side of his head to push and poke mud into place. 

 Another belief about beavers is that they use their tails as "trailers" 

 to convey grass, earth, and stones to the building site; but such 

 claims have always lacked proof. 



We do know that beavers carry these materials in their front 

 paws or in the mouth. The tail does seem to be useful in helping 

 a beaver steer and propel its body in the water. Another use for 

 the tail, as we have learned, is that by slapping it against the 

 surface of the water the beaver is able to warn his companions 

 of approaching danger. 



The Sociable Beaver: Beavers form sociable family circles. They 

 enjoy being together, and when a family outgrows its lodge they 

 may construct new homes along nearby shores until a large settle- 

 ment develops. If, on the other hand, overpopulation results in a 

 food shortage in the immediate neighborhood, the generation of 

 two-year-olds starts off in search of a building site for a new colony. 

 When young beavers are not occupied learning the serious busi- 

 ness of tree-cutting, engineering, and building, they like to play 

 and frolic, sometimes getting underfoot while the adults are at 

 work. 



MUSKRATS ARE ALSO BUILDERS 



Muskrats also use mud in building their homes, but they 

 mix it with roots and stems of plants, for they live in marshes and 

 shallow water areas. Beginning the construction of a lodge in 

 shallow water, they pile layer upon layer of rushes and mud until 

 the heap is large and reaches a height of four or five feet above 

 the surface of the water. Then the muskrat, working under water, 

 chews and digs into this stack from the bottom, until he hollows 

 out a space above the water line large enough to house himself and 

 his family. 



Near towns and villages you are much more likely to run across 

 muskrat homes rather than beaver lodges. Muskrats seem to be 

 undisturbed by the sights and sounds of civilization, whereas the 

 more retiring beaver prefers wilder regions. Muskrats make use 

 of swamps and streams as nature provides them, and they also take 



