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THE BEAVER. 



^r^HE Beaver, merely ns an individual, is exceeded by many other 

 J[_ quadrupeds in cunning, and by almofl all in powers of defence. 

 When kept in a (late of folitude or ramenefs, is gentle and familiar 

 enoagh, dull, and even melancholy ; of moderate paflions and appetiteaj 

 calm and indirfcrent, without attachment or antipathy, neither fcek- 

 ing to olTend, nor defining to pleafe j has little indullry, few tricks, nor 

 cunning fufhcient to avoid the mofc obvious fnares. The only quadruped 

 that has a flat broad tail, covered with fcales, Vv-hich, as a rudder, directs 

 its motions in tlie water. The only quadruped that has membranes be- 

 tween the toes on the hind feet only, and none on the forefeet, which 

 Juppiy the place of hand?, as in the fquirrel. The only animal in its 

 fore parts rcfcmbling a quadruped, in its hinder parts a fiili ; is about 

 two feet long, near one foot high, fhaped fomewhat like a rat. Its co- 

 lour,' a light brown j the hair of two forts j one longer and coarfer j the 

 X)ther fofr, fine^ fliort, and filky. The teeth arc like thofe of a rat or 

 a fquirrel, long, ftrong, admirably adapted to cutting timber or dripping 

 barkj has but one vent for the cmiflfion of its excrements, and its urine. 



The beavers afiemble in June and July from every fide, and generally 

 form a company of above two hundred. The place of meeting is com- 

 monly v.'here they fix their abode, and always by the fide of fome lake o* 

 river. If it be a lake in which the waters are always level, they orrAz 

 building a dam ; but on a running frream, fubjeft to floods and falls, 

 they build a dam or pier, that crofTes the river, to form a dead v;ater above 

 and below j built where the river is {hallowed:, and where fome great: 

 tree grows by the fide, which they make a principal part in their buiid-- 

 ing; and fet about cutting it down. This they accomplifh by their 

 teeth, which foon lay it level, and on the fide they wilh it, which is al- 

 ways acrofs the ftream. ^ Then cutting off the top branches, they make 

 it lie clofe and even, as the principal beam of their fabric. 



The dam is ten or twelve feet thick at the foundation. Hoping on that 

 fide next the water ; on the oppofiie fide perpendicular ; towards the 

 top, about two feet broad, miade of v/ood and clay. They raife the dike 

 according to the elevation of the water. They fwim with their clay mor- 



Y 2 . tar 



