INTRODUCTION. 



CANADA offers to the naturalist an exceptional invitation, in 

 her grand possessions of primeval forest, trackless prairie, 

 mountain ranges, lakes and rivers. Nature's domain is, 

 however, so vast, that the mind is perplexed with the endless 

 beauty of the panorama, and instead of boldly pressing on nature, 

 for the unfolding of her secrets, the observer pauses before the great 

 chain of interdependent phenomena. The subject as a whole, being 

 beyond the grasp of most minds, contentment will be found in 

 selecting a minor feature, and devoting to it close study. 



The early adventurers in the New World met with many novel- 

 ties and the interest manifested in these discoveries called forth 

 accounts concerning them. Though the temptation to startle the 

 Old World readers by fabulous tales, was frequently yielded to, all 

 the early records are valuable, as containing the germs of our cur- 

 rent traditions. 



The discovery of the Canadian Beaver was coincident with the 

 discovery of Canada. From the earliest days, the animal was recog- 

 nized as of great importance to Canada, and this association has 

 given her the beaver as a national symbol. The name of the Indian 

 village, Hochelaga, visited by Jacques Cartier in 1536, is an Algon- 

 quin word, signifying " beaver- meadows, " and as colonies of beavers 

 were not unusually found in the immediate vicinity of the Indian 



