ORDER RODENTIA. 103 



being taken very young, and brought up in a solitary man- 

 ner, in narrow cages, could never habituate themselves to 

 any thing but obedience to their master's will ; whenever 

 any attempt was made to unite them, it was productive of 

 nothing but the most violent combats and the severest 

 wounds. It was always necessary to separate them, from 

 the fear of losing animals of so much value, and whose 

 manners were an object of so much curiosity. One of these 

 just alluded to was an extremely mild animal, habituated 

 to the presence of men, and would suffer itself to be 

 touched and carried with the hand from place to place with 

 the utmost confidence ; and was brought at last to live fa- 

 miliarly with some dogs ; for it is worthy of remark, that 

 certain animals of different species will sooner contract an 

 affection for each other when united by man, than those of 

 the same species ; a disposition which, however appa- 

 rently opposed to the social instinct, is but a result and 

 a confirmation of its existence. 



The Beaver just spoken of, was about seven inches in 

 height, measured in front, and about nine and a half in the 

 most elevated part behind; its tail, from the anus to the 

 extremity, about ten inches ; the length of the body, from 

 anus to muzzle, about fourteen, French measure. It was 

 an heavy, clumsy animal, without any agility in its motions, 

 and its entire physiognomy was in perfect unison with its 

 physical qualities. In this respect, indeed, all Beavers re- 

 semble. But they are fond of water, delight to plunge into 

 it, and steep their food in it. They are all fond of gather- 

 ing and heaping into a corner all the light substances they 

 meet with, such as straw, the remains of their provisions, 

 in a word, every thing within their reach. Thus was the 

 instinct of building, thus strongly manifested, though in a 

 state of captivity. What was, however, singular, the ani- 

 mal above-mentioned exhibited no propensity of the kind ; 

 on the contrary, it remained in a state of the most com= 



