which had been built into an addition of the house 

 during the autumn. We cut several green aspens 

 into short lengths and threw them into the house. 

 The broken hole was then closed. The old fel- 

 low accepted these cheerfully. For six weeks as- 

 pens were occasionally thrown to him, and at the 

 end of this time the spring warmth had melted 

 the deep snow. The water rose and filled the pond 

 and unsealed the entrance to the house, and again 

 the old fellow emerged into the water. The fol- 

 lowing summer he was joined, or rejoined, by a 

 number of other beaver. 



In many localities the canals or ditches dug 

 and used by the beaver form their most necessary 

 and extensive works. These canals require enor- 

 mous labor and much skill. In point of interest 

 they even excel the house and the dam. It is re- 

 markable that of the thousands of stories concern- 

 ing the beaver only a few have mentioned the 

 beaver canals. These are labor-saving improve- 

 ments, and not only enable the beaver to live 

 easily and safely in places where he otherwise 

 could not live at all, but apparently they allow 

 him to live happily. The excavations made in 



105 



