100 
Houszs, 
Co: Bry sry tne.” CR. 
ing into the ground ftakes, five or fix feet long, placed in rows, andi 
fecuring each row by wattling it with twigs, and filling the inter- 
ftices with clay, ramming it down clofe. The fide next to the water 
is floped, the other perpendicular. The bottom is from ten to 
twelve feet thick; the thicknefs gradually diminithes to the top, 
which is about two or three. The centre of the dam forms a fegment 
of a circle ; from which extends,. on each fide, a ftrait wing: in the 
midft of the centre is ufually a gutter left for the wafte water to dif- 
charge itfelf. Thefe dams.are often a hundred feet long, and nicely 
covered with turf. 
The houfes thefe wife animals make, are placed in the water col- 
lected by means of the dam, and are feated near the fhore. They are 
built upon piles, and are fometimes round, fometimes oval; the tops 
are vaulted, fo that their infide refembles an oven, their outfide a 
dome. ‘The walls are made of earth, ftones, and fticks, and ufually 
two feet thick. They are commonly about eight feet high above the- 
furface of the water*, and are very neatly and clofely plaiftered on 
the infide. The floor is a foot higher than the water. The houfe, 
fometimes, has only one floor, which is ftrewed with leaves or mofs; 
on which each Beaver lies in its proper place ; at other times there 
are three apartments; one to lodge, another to eat in, and a third to 
dung-in +: for they are very cleanly, and inftantly caufe- the filth to 
be carried off by the inferior Beavers. 
M. Du Pratzt fays, that thofe of Louifiana form numbers of cells, 
and that each animal, or more probably each pair, poffefs one. He 
fays, that he has feen no lefs than fifteen of thefe cells furrounding 
the centre of one houfe. He alfo acquaints us, that the Beavers of 
Louifiana are a third lefs than the brown fort; are covered with a ci+ 
nereous down, which is covered with long filvery hairs. 
In each houfe are two openings; one towards the land, the other 
is within, and communicates with the water, for the conveniency of 
* Glerky i, 1425 + Mr. Grabam. Catefby, Apps XXX. ti. 241. 
getting 
