196 CASTOROLOGIA. 



England, and had on one side the effigies of the King and Queen, 

 and two Indians kneeling, offering, as presents, the one a roll of 

 wampum ; the other, a beaver skin. Artistic license, however, im- 

 proved the beaver off the seal, and it never was replaced. 



The commercial value of the beaver passed from New Nether- 

 lands to Canada, which was soon acknowledged to be its chosen 

 home. Canada lived on the beaver for many years and her very 



COAT OF ARMS OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL. 



existence at times depended on the forthcoming collection of beavers, 

 yet when the time came to design a national coat-of-arms, these im- 

 portant associations were quite overlooked. The beaver is very 

 dear to the heart of Canadians, and almost universal recognition is 

 given to the commemoration of its national, its local, and its per- 

 sonal qualifications. In the Canadian Numismatic and Antiquarian 

 Journal, volume I., 1872, Mr. Alfred Sandham communicated the 



