6'l6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1733. 



fish, cray-fish, and frogs likewise, as otters do : and that they make burrows 

 in the banks of the rivers, opening under the water. 



In the Memoires pour servir a I'Histoire Naturelle des Animaux, composed 

 by order of Louis ]4, printed at Paris, 1 67 J, in folio, at p. 04, is an anato- 

 mical description of a beaver, with a plate, in which are represented some of 

 the most remarkable parts; as the brain, the fore-foot, the intestinum caecum, 

 and the parts of generation of a male beaver, with the receptacles of the castor, 

 delineated in their natural situation. Our author says, that the real testicles 

 resemble those of dogs; that they lie close to the os pubis, on the outward 

 part of the sides, and that they are not at all discernible through the skin. 

 The penis had a sharp-pointed bone, in its extremity, like that of a dog; but 

 instead of lying with its point towards the navel of the creature, it lay with it 

 towards the tail, and was so deep buried in the fissure, which serves in common 

 for the anus, for the penis, and the excretory ducts of the castor, that they 

 could not distinguish what sex the beaver was of, till the skin was taken off. 



Our author says, that in opening the intestines, they found in them 8 large 

 worms, resembling common earth-worms, 3 of which were 7 or 8 inches long, 

 the rest only 4. In the heart were the plain traces of the foramen ovale. 

 A little below the coronary-vein, he mentions a valve, which he says is called 

 valvula nobilis, and closes the whole vena cava, but opens so that the blood 

 can fiow readily from the liver towards the heart, and not from the heart 

 back again towards the liver. 



This author says, that the brain was but !•§- Inch long, and 1^ broad, which 

 was very small in proportion to the size of the creature ; and still more so in 

 proportion to the sagacity with which it is said he is endowed. 



These are the most remarkable particulars met with in reading over the above- 

 mentioned books. Dr. M. then adds such as they have passed over, or what 

 especially regard the sex of this female beaver. 



This creature was kept at Sir Hans Sloane's, in his garden, for about 3 months. 

 She was but about half grown, not being above 22 inches long from the nose 

 to the root of the tail ; the tail 8 inches long. She was very thick, paunch- 

 bellied; the shape of the head, and indeed of the whole animal, except the 

 tail, and hind feet, very much resembled a great over-grown water-rat. 



Her food was bread and water ; some willow-boughs were given her, of 

 which she eat but little; but when she was loose in the garden, she seemed to 

 like the vines much, having gnawn several of them as high as she could reach 

 quite down to the roots : she gnawed the jessamy likewise, but least of all some 

 holly trees. In Carolina it is said they particularly like the sassafras, and will 



