lifc a 



of more than four inches. But it is not uncom- 

 mon to see trees felled that are from twelve to 

 fifteen inches in diameter. In my possession are 

 three beaver - cut stumps each of which has a 

 greater diameter than eighteen inches, the largest 

 being thirty-four inches. The largest beaver-cut 

 stump that I have ever measured was on the 

 Jefferson River in Montana, near the mouth of 

 Pipestone Creek. This was three feet six inches 

 in diameter. 



The beaver sits upright with fore paws against 

 the tree, or clasping it; half squatting on his hind 

 legs, with tail either extending behind as a prop 

 or folded beneath him as a seat, he tilts his head 

 from side to side and makes deep bites into the 

 tree about sixteen inches above the ground. In 

 the overwhelming majority of beaver-cut trees 

 that I have seen, most of the cutting was done 

 from one side, from one seat as it were. Though 

 the notch taken out was rudely done, it was after 

 the fashion of the axe -man. The beaver bites 

 above and below, then, driving his teeth behind 

 the piece thus cut off, will wedge, pry, or pull out 

 the chip. Ofttimes in doing this he appears to 



ii 



