ORDER RODENTIA. 105 



with nails, admirably calculated for digging. This fact 

 alone, were there no other, would in itself be sufficient to 

 prove a superintending intelligence. But proofs on this 

 subject are superfluous. 



In walking, the Beaver leans on the ground only the 

 toes of the fore feet ; but it rests the entire sole of the 

 hinder. When the feet are raised, the toes approximate, 

 and separate in the contrary motion, and that by the same 

 disposition of the muscles. The animal, in repose, usually 

 is couched upon its tail, which it gathers bade between the 

 hind feet. This tail, of an elliptical form, can move verti- 

 cally and laterally with tolerable force, but the animal 

 usually drags it after him. The eye is small, and the 

 pupil round, and closes almost entirely in a strong light. 

 It never dilates very sensibly, but in a soft and feeble light. 

 The third lid is but rudimental. The Beavers appear to 

 have no necessity of preserving their eyes from the contact 

 of the water. The conch of the ear is simple, and closes 

 when the animal dives ; so do the nostrils. Its voice, ac- 

 cording to M. F. Cuvier, when the animal is uneasy, con- 

 sists at first in a little dull sound, which finally changes 

 into a louder tone, similar to barking. Capt. Franklin, in 

 his most interesting account of his journey, relates, that a 

 gentleman, about to shoot a Beaver, was prevented from 

 doing so by the strong resemblance of its cry to th^t of his 

 own children. 



In the same pouch with the parts of generation and the 

 anus, are found two pairs of glands, and the upper pair 

 produces the castoreum. The teats are four in number. 



So much has been written and promulgated respecting 

 the manners and habits of the Canadian Beaver, that our 

 readers will pardon our not entering into any repetition of 

 accounts so universally known. Few travellers to the New 

 World have omitted to give some notices of this singular 

 animal, and long and* detailed histories have been pub- 



