138 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



thought for the others and immediately warns 

 them by slapping the water. Foster parentage 

 is not uncommon among beaver ; where a mother 

 has been killed her young are taken care of by 

 others that have young themselves, an exhibition 

 of the noblest form of charity which entails a great 

 amount of labour and worry upon the foster 

 mothers and fathers. The more one sees of wild 

 animals the more one is forced, if not blinded by 

 prejudice and other equally blighting forms of 

 ignorance, to realise and admire the beauty of 

 their natures. And just as we are in danger, as 

 Darwin says, of underrating " the mental powers 

 of the higher animals," so are we too oft averse 

 to crediting them with a sufficiently well-developed 

 moral nature. 



Taking all things into consideration the beaver 

 may be said to be one of the most peaceful of 

 animals, even cowardly according to some observers. 

 Yet this is scarcely a fair statement for any man to 

 make. Under ordinary conditions the beaver will 

 avoid any exhibition of pugnacity. Even when 

 caught in a trap they will watch the approach of 

 the trapper without signs of resentment or fear, 

 though they probably know that his coming means 

 their death. As he approaches they neither snarl 

 nor bite, but with a pathetic appeal in their mild 

 eyes simply put up their little hands above their 

 heads as though to ward off the fatal blow of the 

 axe or club. A more touching spectacle would be 



