54 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



could have been hardly more than 50 beavers remaining in New 

 York State, chiefly along the Raquette and St. Regis Rivers 

 and in the well-watered region northwest of Upper Saranac 

 Lake in Franklin County. Here a slowly dwindling remnant 

 remained for the next 30 years, their numbers gradually re- 

 duced by occasional trappers in spite of efforts to protect them 

 by a local inn-keeper on or near whose lands they lived. In 

 the winter of 1894-95 probably not more than ten remained. 

 In the latter year a law was passed removing an open season 

 for beavers in the State, and in 1904 this was given added force 

 by increasing the fine for taking beavers to $100 and making it 

 an offense to set traps for them or to molest their dams or 

 houses. From the beginning of this century for a number of 

 years beavers showed a slight increase, and at the same time 

 small numbers were introduced at favorable localities. Some 

 of this stock came apparently from Canada; 30 or more others 

 were obtained in 1906 from Yellowstone Park. Under protec- 

 tion, and through this addition of new breeding stock, beavers 

 have so greatly increased in New York State that during the 

 season of 1924, when trapping was allowed, no less than 2,478 

 pelts were taken, valued at $39,548, and the following year 

 yielded 3,573 pelts, which brought in all $71,460 (Couch, 1937). 

 Under the present law, the Conservation Department of New 

 York may declare an open season in the month of March only. 

 Of late years a two-week period has been given in counties that 

 seem to have a good supply of the animals. The population, 

 however, is so unevenly distributed that in some regions more 

 beavers are desirable, while in others, which they are invading 

 rapidly, it is doubtful if a beaver population can be maintained. 

 Since 1924 to 1939, seven open seasons of two weeks each have 

 been permitted. Each trapper is limited to six pelts to be 

 taken in the two weeks, and these must be tagged by a game 

 protector. In its practical application it is found that the 

 protective law can be best enforced when blocks of counties 

 are governed by like seasons, so that granting open seasons 

 becomes in good part a problem of law enforcement. In 1939 

 "there are not more than a half-dozen counties in the State, 

 aside from those comprising Greater New York City, in which 

 beaver colonies were not established. Even in Rockland 

 County, whose border is but a half-hour's motor trip from 

 Broadway, an open trapping season has been permitted for 



