THE BEAVERS OF NORTH AMERICA 57 



occasionally, owing to the position of the tree, the 

 cutting is done entirely from one side. This, of 

 course, involves far greater labour on account of 

 the larger opening being necessary. The size of 

 the chips which are cut by the beaver is truly 

 extraordinary. If the wood is soft, such as poplar 

 or cedar, they will take out pieces fully five inches 

 long by an inch and a half wide and three quarters 

 of an inch in thickness, while with hard woods such 

 as maple or birch, the chips will be usually three to 

 four inches long and one and a half wide. Much 

 larger chips are sometimes found, but they are 

 exceptional, and must not be taken as the rule. 

 Nine inch chips are mentioned by some writers, 

 but they were perhaps cut for bedding purposes, to 

 be taken in the lodge and shredded, and can not, 

 therefore, be regarded as chips cut during the fell- 

 ing of trees. From the size of the tooth scars, the 

 size of the beaver may be judged. Many other 

 tales do they tell. Often the mark of a chipped 

 tooth is found, which shows that the animal had 

 probably been caught in a trap and broken the 

 tooth by trying to bite the cruel steel, while dull 

 and rough edges are evidence of the great age of 

 the beaver, just as the narrow cuttings are the work 

 of the youngsters. 



The upsetting of pet beliefs is always a thankless 

 task ; but this is not a book of fairy tales. The 

 truth, so far as possible, must be told even at the 

 risk of being called to account for being too practical 



