ANIMALS. 3S5 



posed to the overflowing of the water, in which they .are not 

 able to continue for any length of time. In case they cannot 

 pitch upon so commodious a situation, they drive piles into 

 the earth, in order to fence and fortify their habitation against 

 the wind as well as the water. They make two apertures, at 

 the bottom, to the stream ; one is a passage to their bagnio, 

 which they always keep neat and clean ; the other leads to that 

 part of the building where every thing is conveyed that will 

 either soil or damage their upper apartments. They have a 

 third opening, or doorway, much higher, contrived for tlie pre- 

 vention of their being shut up and contined, when the frost and 

 snow has closed the apertures of the lower floors. Somctitnes 

 they build their houses altogether upon dry land ; but then they 

 sink trenches five or six feet deep, in order to descend into the 

 water when they see convenient. They make use of the same mate- 

 rials ; and are equally industrious in the erection of their lodges, 

 as their dikes. Their walls are perpendicular, and about two 

 feet thick. As their teeth are more serviceable than saws, 

 they cut off all the wood that projects beyond the wall. After 

 this, when they have mixed up some clay and dry grass to- 

 gether, they work it into a kind of mortar, with which, by the 

 help of their tails they plaster all their works, both within and 

 without. 



The inside is vaulted, and is large enough for the reception of 

 eight or ten beavers. In case it rises in an oval figure, it is for 

 the generality above twelve feet long, and eight or ten feet broad. 

 If the number of inhabitants increase to fifteen, twenty, or 

 thirty, the edifice is enlarged in proportion. I have been credi- 

 bly informed, that four hundred beavers have been discovered to 

 reside in one large mansion-house, divided into a vast number of 

 apartments, that had a free communication one with another 



All these works, more especially in the northern parts, are 



finished in August, or September at farthest ; at which time 



they begin to lay in their stores. During the summer they are 



perfect epicures ; and regale themselves every day on the 



choicest fruits and plants the country affords. Their jjiovisions, 



indeed, in the winter season, principally consist of the wood 



of the birch, the plane, and some few other trees, which they 



steep in water from time to time, in such quantities as are 



proportioned to the number of inhabitants. They cut down 



XI. 2 a. 



i 



