THE BEAVER. 147 



indulge in Beaver-meat. The Beaver also burrows into 

 the banks of streams, always taking care to have two 

 entrances, one under (or close to) the water, and a 

 smaller air-hole on land. With a good dog, capital 

 sport may be had on some of the smaller rivulets lead- 

 ing into or out of a lake. 



" The houses are formed of water-logged sticks 

 placed horizontally in the water. They have always 

 two or more entrances, and a small chamber with a 

 little grass for the Beaver to lie on. The top of the 

 house is constructed very thick, to guard against 

 attacks by animals. Mud and roots are used to make 

 the house solid ; but no mud is seen from the outside, 

 as the top is covered with loose sticks left there by the 

 Beaver, after taking the bark off. The houses are gene- 

 rally about four feet in height, and about six in diameter 

 on the outside, and would hold about four Beavers, 

 though I have known small houses to hold two only/' 



It is probable that the two errors respecting the 

 tail of the Beaver namely, that it is used as a trowel 

 or mortar-board may arise from the fact that as the 

 animal always trails its flat tail after it as it walks, the 

 muddy sides of the river are worn quite smooth in 

 spots which are much frequented by the Beaver. Then, 

 after it has deposited its load, it has a way of giving 

 a self-satisfied sort of slap on the water with its tail, 

 which has evidently been mistaken for the act of pat- 

 ting down the mud. 



As to their mode of carrying the materials used 

 for their buildings, the stones, earth, and similar sub- 

 stances are held firmly between the fore paws and the 

 chin, so that they are upheld by the inflated lungs. 



