165 



ciight he lies clown, and no blows can make him rise, 

 or move one foot till morning. 



A creature no less remarkable, but in a quite dif- 

 ferent way, is the Castor or Beaver. This creature is 

 about four feet long, and fifteen inches broad : he is 

 covered with two sorts of hair, one long^ the other a 

 soft down. The down, an inch long, is properly his 

 cloabhing, being extremely fine, and close laid upon 

 the skin. The long hair is spread over all, to preserve 

 it from dirt and wet. 



Whether male or female, it has two bags under its 

 belly, which contain a liquid substance that congeals 

 in air, and affords an excellent medicine^ which we call 

 Castoreum. 



He has strong teeth rivetted fast in his jaws, to cut 

 wood, as well. as chew his food. His fore-feet are like 

 those of an ape or squirrel, to hold what he eats in his 

 paw, and with these he digs, softens and works the 

 clay or loam for his habitation. His feet arc remark* 

 ably formed, more proper to swim than to walk with, 

 the five toes being joined together by a strong mem. 

 brane. His tail is long, tlattish, covered with scales, 

 and constantly lubricated 'with oil ; because, being an 

 architect from his birth, he uses his tail as a hod, to 

 carry his clay or mortar, and as a trowel to spread it 

 into an incrustation. Mean time the scales preserve it 

 from being hurt by the burden ; and the oil which he 

 squeezes from his bags, and rubs on with his snout, 

 from the noxious air and water. 



As they like to live together, they chuse a situation 

 near some rivulet. They first build a causeway, in 

 which the water may rise level with the first story of 

 their habitation. This is built of wood and cla>, 

 twelve feet thick at the bottom, descending in a slope 

 on the side next the water. The other side is perpen- 

 dicular : the top of this is about two feet broad. They 

 cut their wood, though as thick as one's thigh, into 

 pieces, from two to six feet long, drive them into tht* 

 earth with their tcetn ; and lace them together with 



