THE BEAVER TRIBE. 413 



claws^ in such a manner that both are frequently 

 covered with blood *. 



The female goes with young about five weeks, 

 and breeds pretty nearly every two months. Though 

 furnished with only two teats, she usually produces 

 three or four, and sometimes so many as tv/elve, 

 at a birth. And as the young have been known 

 to breed when only two months old, the produce 

 of a single pair may amount to upwards of a tJiou-. 

 sand in the year. — In the space of twelve hours after 

 their birth, the young ones are able to run about 

 with as m.uch agility as their parents. 



THE BEAVER TRIBE. 



OF the present tribe, there arc but t-ivo species 

 that have been hitherto discovered, the Common 

 and the Chili Beavers ; and even of these, it seems 

 doubtful whether the latter ought not to be arranged 

 with the Otters. 



The Beavers have the front teeth in their upper- 

 jaw truncated, and excavated with a transverse an- 

 gle ; and those of the lower jaw are transverse at 

 the tips. Tiiere are four grinders on each side. The 

 tail is long, depressed, and scaly ; and there are col- 

 lar bones in the skeleton '\-. 



* Clmrrli's Cabinet of Uuad^u})^d!^. \ Linn. Gmcl. i. I'Ji. 



