90 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



the pond increased correspondingly. With the 

 deepening of the water, the beaver found their 

 burrows were no longer dry, so they decided that 

 it was time to commence building a lodge. 

 Summer was now at its height, and autumn would 

 be upon them soon after the next moon. So even 

 though it was full early, they chose the site for the 

 new house. The place decided on was a small 

 alder-covered knoll which the rising water had 

 surrounded and made into an island. It was close 

 to a spring, which was of great advantage. The 

 earth being fairly soft a burrow was easily made. 

 It started under water and ended in the centre of 

 the islet. All roots were cut off and the tunnel 

 made quite smooth, with a diameter of about 

 thirteen inches. Very few of the growing alders 

 were cut, as for the present they would be of service 

 in supporting the building. Later they could be 

 cut if necessary. 



These were busy nights for the little builders. 

 Sticks of various sizes had to be cut and hauled up 

 on the knoll ; some of the wood they collected from 

 among the dead branches which had been floated 

 by the rising water, others they cut and from these 

 they often eat the bark. This reduced the amount 

 of work necessary, as the cuttings thus served two 

 purposes. No big trees were cut at this time, that 

 would come later. Among the network of sticks 

 they placed great quantities of fibrous mud and sod, 

 which was torn from the bottom of the stream close 



