THE BEAVER. 83 



Description Natural sagacity. 



this serves as a rudder, to direct the animal's mo- 

 tions in the water, and is a most useful instrument 

 in other operations. The hair is smooth, glossy, 

 and of a chesnut colour, varying sometimes to 

 black ; and instances have occurred, in which 

 these animals have been found white, cream- 

 coloured, or spotted. The ears are short, and 

 almost hidden in the fur : the fore feet are small, 

 and not unlike those of a rat ; the hinder ones are 

 large and strong, and the toes are connected by 

 membranes. The front teeth are remarkably 

 strong, and excellently adapted to the purpose of 

 cutting wood; and, indeed, the animals subsist 

 chiefly on the bark and leaves of trees, 



No other quadrupeds seem to possess so great. 

 a Degree of natural sagacity as the beavers. In- 

 dustry is their distinguishing characteristic ; and 

 their labours seem the result of a social compact, 

 formed for mutual preservation and support. 

 They generally live in communities of two or 

 three hundred ; inhabiting dwellings which they 

 raise to the height of six or eight feet above the 

 water. They select, if possible, a large pond ; in 

 which they raise their houses on piles, forming 

 them either of a circular or oval shape, with 

 arched tops, thus giving them, on the outside, 

 the appearance of a dome, while the interior 

 resembles that of an oven. The number of 

 houses varies from ten to thirty. If the anim.ils 

 cannot find a pond suited to their purpose, they 

 fix on some level piece of ground, with a stream 

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