THE LIFE OF A BEAVER COLONY 137 



it is in our own relations with them, while when 

 they are in their wild and natural state we know 

 next to nothing of the intimacy of their lives. It 

 is sometimes said that it is our influence that has 

 developed in dogs their sense of shame at doing 

 anything which they know to be wrong, and that 

 it is not actual shame so much as fear of punish- 

 ment which actuates their behaviour. To a certain 

 extent this may be true, but what about the wild 

 animals which punish offenders who are guilty of 

 violating the laws of the pack or the herd ? If 

 they had no sense of right or wrong this would 

 never happen, for punishment of one creature by 

 another can only result from a knowledge that 

 wrong has been done, and with the realisation of 

 wrong there must be an equal understanding of 

 right. In the beaver's life we see many instances 

 of the observing of their unwritten laws. The 

 right of possession is seldom questioned, thieving 

 is not allowed, or at least not indulged in. Com- 

 munity interests are understood, so that all 

 members of a colony, whether comprising one 

 family or many, will assist in work which is 

 obviously for the benefit of all, such as building 

 and repairing the dams, which are apparently 

 common property, while in contrast to this they 

 do not help in building each other's lodges. Each 

 lodge belongs to those who expect to occupy it, 

 and by them alone is it erected and repaired. In 

 case of danger the one who first suspects it has 



