424 THE COMMON BEAVER. 



The Beaver's flix , 



Gives kindliest warmth to weak enervate limbs, 

 When the pale blood slow rises through the veins. 



The hunters prefer the winter season for seeking 

 out the habitations of the Beavers. They stop up 

 the entrance to these, on the side next the water, 

 with stakes ; and enlarge the vent-hole, which they 

 find on the land side : this is done for the purpose 

 of putting through it a Dog, who is so trained 

 that he holds the Beaver with his teeth, and suffers 

 himself to be drawn out by the hind-legs *. The 

 Indians about Hudson's Bay first drain off the u^ater 

 of the dam. and then, covering the houses with nets, 

 break in at the top ; on which the affrighted Bea^ 

 vers running through the door to escape, become 

 entangled in the meshes. The hunters immediately 

 seize and skin them -f-. 



In some parts of Lapland, Beavers are caught in 

 traps made of the twigs of fir-trees. The top of 

 these the hunters fasten with a small branch of pop- 

 lar, of which the animals are very fond. The Bea- 

 ver gnaws away this fastening, is let down, and 

 caught. But it is remarked, that wherever two have 

 been together, the one has always set the other at 

 liberty +, 



Beavers' skins form a very considerable article of 

 com.merce, both with the northern countries of Eu- 

 rope and with America. Above fifty-four thousand 



* Tooke. This account too cliffer<! from that of Capt. Cartwriglit ; 

 who says they have only one hole for entrance, and that is from tlio 

 >\atcr. t i^lhs, iGl. J Sclicilcr, '-2315. 



