This was the first beaver fight that I had ever 

 seen. 



Beaver may well be called the silent workers. 

 No matter how numerous, or crowded, or busy 

 they are, their work goes on without a word and 

 apparently without a sign. Although I have seen 

 them at work scores of times, in the twilight and 

 in the daylight, singly, in pairs, and by the doz- 

 ens, doing the many kinds of work which beaver 

 perform, yet this work has always gone quietly 

 and without any visible evidences of manage- 

 ment. Each one is capable of acting independ- 

 ently. Since the quality of his work improves as 

 the beaver increases his experience, it appears 

 natural and probable that each colony of beaver 

 has a leader who plans and directs the work. I 

 am familiar with a number of instances which 

 strongly indicate leadership. In times of emerg- 

 ency, when an entire colony is forced to emigrate, 

 a beaver and usually an aged one takes the 

 lead, and wherever he goes the others willingly 

 follow. 



Whatever may have been the custom of beaver 

 in the past, at present large numbers sometimes 



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