their head fliort i their ears fmall and round i their 

 teeth very long, the under-teeth landing out beyond 

 their hps three fingers breadth , and the upper about 

 half a finger, being very broad, crooked, firong, and 

 fliarp, ftanding very deep in their mouth, wherewith 

 they defend themfelves againft beaHs, take fifhes as it 

 were upon hooks, and will gnaw in funder trees as big 

 as a man's thigh. ° 



Their fore-feet are like dogs, an-d their hinder like 

 geefe, made as it were on purpofe to go on the land 

 and fwim in the water i but the tail of this beaft is 

 mod: firange of all, being without hair, and covered o- 

 ver with a skin like the fcales of a fiOi, it being like a 

 Seal, and for the moft part fix fingers broad, and half a 

 foot long. They are accounted a very delicate diOi and 

 eat like Barbels: the manner of their dreffing is by 

 roafting them firft, and boiling or ftewing them after- 

 wards i they muft be food that is very fweet, fince this 

 proverb proceeded from them : Smet is thatfijh which is 

 mfi/hatall. 



As for the wonderful manner of their building I (hall 

 let that alone, fince it is at large defcribed byGeGierm 

 his Hifiory of Beafis, page 3 <5. 



There is nothing {o valuable in this beaft as his 

 fiones i for they are in great efteem, and a precious com- 

 modity. 



It hath been the opinion of fome, that when a Bea- 

 ver IS hunted, and is in danger to betaken, he biteth off 

 his own ftones, knowing that for them onely is he thus 

 purfued : but this is found to be a mecr fidion i for 

 their itones being finall, and placed like a Boar\ it is im- 

 pollible tor them to come at them. 



They are taken for their skins, tails, and cods, and 

 that many ways. Firfl, when their caves are found : 

 Cm which are feveral chambers biiik one over ano- 

 ther by the water- fide, to afcend or defcend according 



as 



