TRAVELLING WITH A BEAVER 77 



trying to look down into it. Finally he climbed 

 down to the farther edge of the house and leaped 

 into the water. After swimming about for a time 

 he dived and came up the entrance-way into 

 the house. I could hear him clawing about in- 

 side. It was probably an accident that he 

 came into this entrance-way, and once inside he 

 would naturally be interested in the scent 

 of his kind. After remaining for a short time 

 he came out, climbed up on the house, and again 

 sniffed at the top. After this he went into the 

 pond for another swim and paid no further 

 attention to the house. 



Diver apparently enjoyed watching my camp- 

 fire. Ofttimes of an evening he would lie watch- 

 ing it for an hour at a time. A number of times 

 I purposely built this fire close to the stream or 

 the pond by which we were camping. Other 

 beavers several times came to the edge of the 

 water, thrust out their heads, and there remained 

 for minutes looking at the fire. Often I moved 

 about to see what they would do. Generally 

 they paid not the slightest attention to me unless 

 I came within three or four feet of them. The 

 presence of Diver may have given them more 

 than ordinary confidence, yet many times I 

 have been told by trappers that beavers are in- 

 terested in watching a camp-fire. 



The tail of a beaver is an exceedingly useful 



