THE LIFE OF A BEAVER COLONY 125 



though done by a body of skilful artisans under the 

 instruction of a trained foreman who in turn 

 receives his orders from a competent engineer. 



The first thing to do after making the path was 

 to cut off the outer branches which lay on the 

 ground. This alone occupied two nights. Then, 

 by climbing along the leaning trunks, all the larger 

 branches were neatly bitten off so that the trunks, 

 relieved of their support, came gradually to earth 

 and were divided into lengths varying according to 

 the diameter ; nothing over eight inches through 

 being carried away. But even the thickest parts of 

 the trunk that had to be left were not wasted, for 

 the beaver ate all the bark which was suitable for 

 food. It was noticeable that the two old beavers 

 in the upper pond took no part in cutting up these 

 trees. Their colony was entirely separate, and they 

 must do all their own cutting. In other words, 

 poaching was not allowed. In about ten days, 

 nothing remained of the two tall trees but the 

 stumps, two lengths of partly peeled trunks and a 

 mass of large and small chips that were beaten into 

 the well-trampled ground, these and the scarred 

 pathway to the water, and the greatly- augmented 

 wood-pile. 



From that time up to the freezing of the pond 

 the usual preparations for cold weather were carried 

 on, so that when the pond froze and the country 

 received its winter winding-sheet everything was 

 in readiness. The lodges had been plastered, 



