their work at night, in localities where they are 

 not in danger from man, they work freely during 

 daytime. 



Both the Indians and the trappers have a story 

 that old beaver who will not work are driven from 

 the colony and become morose outcasts, slowly 

 living away the days by themselves in a burrow. 

 I have no evidence to verify this statement, and 

 am inclined to think that solitary beaver occasion- 

 ally found in abandoned colony-sites and else- 

 where are simply unfortunates, perhaps weighed 

 down with age, unable to travel far, with teeth 

 worn, the mate dead, without ambition to try, or 

 without strength to emigrate. It is more likely 

 that these aged ones voluntarily and sadly with- 

 draw from their cheerful and industrious fellows, 

 to spend their closing days alone. Although, too, 

 there were among Indians and trappers stones 

 of beaver slaves, I am without material for a story 

 of this kind. 



The beaver is peaceful. Although the males 

 occasionally fight among themselves, the beaver 

 avoids fighting, and plans his life so as to es- 

 cape without it. Now and then in the water 



34 



