214 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



still at the surface of the water the tail also may be 

 seen. Under water the head is held lower or more 

 directly in line with the body as far as I have been 

 able to judge, and they can remain under water for 

 six or seven minutes or even more, according to 

 some observers. When submerged the ears are 

 closed, as also are the nostrils, except when slightly 

 opened to emit the vitiated air. 



In slapping the water with the tail it has been 

 fairly well proved by means of my photographs 

 that the position assumed by the animal is not at 

 all according to previously published accounts in 

 which the impression has been given that the head 

 is down or even under water at the moment of 

 the slap, whereas the head and the shoulders are 

 actually held very high out of the water as the tail 

 is raised. The action is so rapid that it is practically 

 indistinguishable to the eye. In diving the beaver 

 can go down so quietly that there is no disturbance 

 to the water's surface. 



On land the beaver walks with its back much 

 arched and tail dragging ; when listening it usually 

 stands erect on its hind feet with the tail used as a 

 balance, and when sitting down it often brings the 

 tail round forward and even sits on it, though per- 

 sonally I have never seen this position. The 

 eyesight of the beaver is fairly keen, but they 

 depend more on their extremely acute senses of 

 hearing and smell, particularly the latter, which is 

 very highly developed. Like most wild animals 



