188 WILD BEASTS OF THE WOULD 



water-lily roots and such food obtainable below water. The gnawed 

 boughs are used to strengthen the dam and pile on top of the lodges, 

 so that nothing is wasted. The upkeep of the dam is attended to with 

 great care; the Beavers frequently survey it, and each one does such 

 work on it as seems to him necessary. In working with mud, they 

 carry it in their paws under their chins, but do not use their tails as 

 trowels, as used to be supposed. The dam seems to be usually formed 

 by a pair only, but if the pond formed is a large one, several families 

 will take up residence on it, and help in maintaining it; they do not, 

 however, live and work in large colonies. The young, which are born 

 in May, are in number from one to six, begin to eat solid food at about 

 a month, but are not full-grown till over two years old, at which age 

 they leave the lodge of their parents to start in life for themselves. 

 When small they cry exactly like a human infant, and they leave the nest 

 when only as big as Rats. 



The Beaver seems to be a long-lived animal for its size, reaching 

 about twenty years at any rate in captivity ; but it is said that in the 

 wild state the teeth of very old Beavers get so blunted that they cannot 

 cut wood for themselves, and are ultimately killed by their neighbours 

 for stealing the cut wood of others to satisfy their hunger a sad end 

 for so harmless and industrious a creature. Fortunately the persecu- 

 tion of man is less severe than it was, owing to other furs having come 

 into competition with Beaver, and to the use of silk in making hats, 

 but protection will probably be necessary if this wonderful animal is 

 to maintain its existence indefinitely. Beavers do well in captivity, 

 but their nocturnal habits make them often rather unsatisfactory 

 exhibits in menageries. They have been established in a state of more 

 or less freedom in at least one English park, and have often bred in 

 the London Zoological Gardens. 



