TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 207 



lifting rounded noses clear of the water, sniffing, and 

 gazing at us with beady, interested eyes. Then, 

 satisfied that there really was something very unto- 

 ward afoot, the investigator dived quickly, and in 

 turning over the strong wide tail hit the water with a 

 smack, a sauve qui pent signal, which sent every 

 beaver scuttling. They are wondrous little animals, 

 with their endless schemes and plots and plans. 



It is difficult to see a beaver actually at work on 

 tree-felling, because the little creatures are only busy 

 at night, but the result of the labour is very apparent. 

 For the most part the trees felled are of small girth, 

 cottonwoods and poplars, but here and there we came 

 on a few really large trees cut through by the sharp 

 teeth. The provender for winter is then dragged 

 just the top branches to the river's edge, and thence 

 to the beaver pantry down below their houses. 



Cecily and I overhauled one beaver residence, un- 

 doing it from the top, for there is no ingress save by 

 diving down into the river, and coming up the narrow 

 channel leading to the marvellously planned little 

 house nestling upon the bank. Quite imposing 

 miniature residences, domed, and made of logs and 

 sticks, all plastered together with river mud and clay. 

 In the centre of this bee-hive apartment we found 

 everywhere exquisitely coated with grass and more 

 mud, every interstice snugly lined, making a warm 

 nest for the facing of the Northern winter. Though 

 the river be frozen for miles around, the food, tightly 

 packed away deep below the surface, is always get- 

 at-able, and needs but a dive to bring back a succulent 



