136 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



Another evening four, and a part of the time 

 five, beavers were pushing and dragging a log. 

 When they at last pushed it into the canal one 

 beaver with only one forepaw put, this fore- 

 paw against the end of the log and conducted 

 it down the canal. For safety for travel, and 

 for transportation beavers need deep water. 



There is a social side, too, to life in these 

 deep-water homes. Not only do beavers in- 

 dulge in all kinds of water sports among them- 

 selves, but they seem to make friends with some 

 of their diving, swimming neighbours in other 

 animal families. 



I had often heard that beavers ever war upon 

 their little brother, the muskrat. The beavers 

 in this colony did not. They continued to use 

 the old repaired house until near the close of 

 their harvesting. On their departure, appar- 

 ently muskrats at once took possession. But 

 the beavers often went back into the old house. 



One day I saw a beaver enter the house. 

 There were a number of muskrats inside. I do 

 not know the nature of his visit but there was 

 no excitement. Another time a beaver turned 

 aside and touched noses with a muskrat. Still 

 another time a beaver playfully dived beneath 

 a muskrat. As the beaver came up the musk- 

 rat grabbed beaver fur with forepaws and sat 

 down on the beaver's back. Away swam the 



