1912] Swarth: Birds and Mammals from Vancouver Island 93 



injured they were brought to camp alive and kept for several 

 days. One of these, as we approached it in the trap, slapped 

 the water sharply with its tail and endeavored to dive. That 

 failing, he put up a most spirited resistance, and it was only 

 after a sharp struggle that he was projected head first into a 

 tied-up coat sleeve and in that fashion carried home. The two 

 were put into a box, and given various green stuff, some of which 

 they ate, but the second night they escaped. I heard them 

 moving about in the night, mewing much like kittens, and 

 gnawing the sides of the box, but they made their escape De- 

 forcing up the lid ; and, as the river was but a few yards distant, 

 they doubtless swam down the stream. 



The beavers secured apparently represent at least three 

 generations: the six very young ones, apparently but a lew- 

 weeks old, three males and two females, fully adult, but prob- 

 ably not as large as they would eventually become, for the re- 

 maining specimen, an old female (no. 12107) is very much larger 

 than any of the others. The accompanying table of measure- 

 ments shows the differences, both in size and weight. This very 

 large one, two of the medium sized animals, and two ju vena Is 

 were all taken from the same house, and very possibly represent 

 three generations of the same family. 



The young ones, all about the same age, are about the size 

 of musk rats. One caught on June 20 (no. 12105) measures: 

 length 503, tail vertebrae 162, hind foot 93, ear 24; weight four 

 pounds. They are covered with soft, thick fur, paler colored 

 than the adults, about hazel above, and more grayish brown below. 



"We saw no beavers at Nootka Sound, but were told that there 

 were many at Vernon Lake, some eight or ten miles inland from 

 the head of the Tahsis Canal. The next place we encountered 

 them was at the head of Central Lake, where there were a few. 

 possibly only a single family, at the river mouth near our camp. 

 No houses were seen, but one or two beavers were swimming 

 about nearly every evening, and Despard finally captured one, 

 an old male, on August 25 (no. 12111). 



The Vancouver Island beavers differ from those from south- 

 eastern Alaska (C c. phaeus, Heller, 1909, p. 250), principally 

 in slightly paler coloration. The Alaska skins, though collected 



