260. DOMESTICATION OF BEAVERS. 
the Beaver are mentioned, from which it is 
known to have existed in Wales, and in the 
West of England; but, in truth, it was 
spread over the whole country. Beverley, 
the name of a town in Yorkshire, meant lite- 
rally ‘* Beaver-ley,” or Beaver-meadow. B y 
the Welsh, or ancient British, it was called 
“* the beast with the broad tail.” 
The natural habits of the Beaver are 
topics so generally, though often so imper- 
fectly, handled, that I will rather speak at 
present of the manners which it has been 
found to display in a domestic state, and of 
one or two other particulars less familiar to 
your. knowledge. 
We have domesticated certain animals, and 
most of these only to a certain extent, and 
are therefore apt to fancy that those are the 
only animals susceptible of domestication, 
and that they surpass all others in sagacity 
and companionable affections. But there is a 
very long list indeed of animals, apparently 
the last to be thought of for domestication, 
but which, nevertheless, would please, and be 
pleased, if they, like others, lay in our bosoms, 
ate of our dish, and sat at our fire-sides, and 
