484 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Present Distribution of the Beaver in Europe.—Since the publi- 
cation of your article on “ Beavers and their ways” in “ The Zoologist ” for 
July last (pp. 265—286), I have felt doubly interested in the existence of 
these animals on the River Elbe. At Mr. Honstetter’s, taxidermist, at 
Bregenz (Lake of Constance), I had the pleasure of examining a Beaver, shot 
on that river only a short time ago (Aug. 1886). I ascertained that the 
animal had been sent to be stuffed, by Dr. Girtanner, of St. Gallen 
(Switzerland). On my writing to this gentleman, and referring to your 
paper, he was kind enough to send me some notes on the principal Beaver 
colonies on the Elbe, as well as the dates when the latest individuals from 
here were obtained. At the same time he forwarded a monograph on the 
subject, which I am again to forward to you. He mentions that the 
Beavers in Merseburg, Anhalt and Dessau, are still living and breeding, 
and tells me that since writing the said paper (1885) several small and 
hitherto unknown colonies have been discovered on the Bosna in Bosnia, 
in Ukraine, and in Transylvania. The Elbe colonies suffered very much 
through the drought of 1884, as the entrances to their holes along the 
river-bank were laid bare,—‘‘ was absolut fiir die Existenz des Bibers 
unertraglich ist.” Quoting from his paper sent herewith, the Beaver in 
Bavaria is now quite a thing of the past, and those in Bohemia appear to 
be not much better off. Especially interesting is his account —the result 
of many years of research —of the localities still affected by these animals 
in Scandinavia. The specimen I saw at Honstetter’s was a large male, 
weighing twenty-three kilogrammes, and was shot the 7th August, 1886, near 
Roslau, on the Elbe. Last year he received two others, weighing respec- 
tively fifteen and thirteen kilogrammes, which were stuffed by the best 
taxidermist in Germany, Kerz of Stuttgart; he has also two skeletons,— 
all from the Elbe. As they are for sale, and the prices given, I may as well 
mention it here. Specimen at Honstetter’s 250 fr., packing included ; 
do. Kerz, 200 fr., do.; do. 200 fr.; large skeleton, 200 fr.; small do. 
150 fr. I do not pretend to judge of the value, and only notice it here in 
case it may be of use to you; but as Dr. Girtanner himself says, the 
difficulty of obtaining Castor fiber now-a-days is very great, and only 
unusual floods or a stray shot from a poacher will cause them to abandon 
the colonies, which are strictly preserved. Dr. Girtanner appears also to 
be much interested in the former existence of Beavers in Scotland, and in 
the introduced colony in the Isle of Bute. As I am not acquainted with 
particulars, perhaps you would let him know something about the latter, 
either directly or through me. In conclusion, he states that he will be 
happy to supply any information or hints to any one desirous of establishing 
a Beaver colony.— G. N. Dovatass (Stephanien Strasse, 47, Karlsruhe). 
[A full account of the Beaver in the Island of Bute, communicated by 
Mr. J. Black, the keeper in charge of them, will be found in ‘ Extinct 
British Animals,’ by J. E. Harting, pp. 52—59.—Eb.]. 
