230 MAMMALIA — MUSKRAT. 



longer. The downy hair is manufactured into hats, stockings, caps, and 

 other articles. The skin is so considerable an article of traffic, that the 

 species which produces it will, perhaps, at length be exterminated. At one 

 sale, the Hudson's Bay company sold about fifty-four thousand ; and, in 

 1798, a hundred and six thousand were exported to Europe and China from 

 Canada alone. In the year 1743, the imports of beaver skins into London 

 and Rochelle, amounted to upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand ; and 

 there is reason to suppose that a considerable additional quantity was at 

 that period introduced illicitly into Great Britain. In 1827, the importation 

 of beaver skins into London for more than four times the extent of fur 

 country than that which was occupied in 1743, did not much exceed fifty 

 thousand. 



The senses of the beaver are very acute ; and so delicate is its smell, that 

 it will suffer no filth, no bad stench, to remain near it. When kept too long 

 in confinement, and under the necessity of voiding its excrement, it drops it 

 near the threshold of its prison, and when the door is opened, is sure to 

 push it out. 



THE ONDATRA, MUSQUASH, OR MUSKRAT. ^ 



This animal is closely allied in form and habits to the beaver, and is 

 found in the same parts of America as that animal, from thirty to sixty-nine 

 or seventy degrees of latitude. But it is more familiar in its habits, as it is 

 to be found only a short distance from large towns. The musquash is a 

 Avatchful, but not a very shy animal. It may be frequently seen sitting on 

 the shores of small muddy islands, not easily to be distinguished from a 

 piece of earth, till, on the approach of danger, it suddenly plunges into the 

 water. It forms burrows on the banks of 'streams and ponds, the entrance 

 to which is in deep water. These burrows extend to great distances, and 

 do extensive injury to farms, by letting in the water upon the land. 



' f (&f?- ^fferf/n'ciis, Desm. The s:enus Fiber has two upper and two lower incisors; 

 six upper and six lower molars. Molars with a flat crown and scaly angular zigzag 

 plates of enamel; fore feet with four toes and the rudiment of a thumb; posterior with 

 five, edged with stiff and close bristles; tail long, compressed laterally, naked except a 

 few scattered hairs, and granular. 



