AMERICAN BKAVER. 353 



sLxty-one pounds before being cleaned. The only portions of their flesh 

 that are considered fine eating, are the sides of the belly, the rump, 

 the tail, and the liver. The tail, so much spoken of by travellers and by 

 various authors, as being very delicious eating, we did not think equalled 

 their descriptions. It has nearly the taste of beef marrow, but is rather 

 oily, and cannot be partaken of unless in a very moderate quantity, ex- 

 cept by one whose stomach is strong enough to digest the most greasy 

 substances. 



Beavers become very fat at the approach of autumn ; but during win- 

 ter they fall off in flesh, so that they are generally quite poor by spring, 

 when they feed upon the bark of roots, and the roots of various aquatic 

 plants, some of which are at that season white, tender, and juicy. 

 During winter, when the ice is thick and strong, the trappers hunt the 

 Beaver in the following manner. A hole is cut in the ice as near as 

 possible to the aperture leading to the dwelling of the animal, the situa- 

 tion of which is first ascertained ; a green stick is placed firmly in front 

 of it, and a smaller stick on each side, about a foot from the stick of 

 green wood ; the bottom is then patted or beaten smooth and even, and a 

 strong stake is set into the ground to hold the chain of the trap, which is 

 placed within a few inches of the stick of green wood, well baited, and 

 the Beaver, attracted either by the fresh bark or the bait, is almost al- 

 ways caught. Although when captured in this manner, the animal strug- 

 gles, diving and swimming about in its efibrts to escape, it never cuts ofi" 

 a foot in order to obtain its liberty ; probably because it is drowned before 

 it has had time to think of this method of saving itself from the hunter. 

 When trapping under other circumstances, the trap is placed within five 

 or six inches of the shore, and about the same distance below the surface 

 of the water, secured and baited as usual. If caught, the Beavers now 

 and then cut ofi" the foot by which they are held, in order to make their 

 escape. 



A singular habit of the Beaver was mentioned to us by the trapper, 

 Prevost, of which we do not recollect having before heard. He said that 

 when two Beaver lodges are in the vicinity of each other, the animals 

 proceed from one of them at night to a certain spot, deposit their casto- 

 reum, and then return to their lodge. The Beavers in the other lodge, 

 scenting this, repair to the same spot, cover it over with earth, and then 

 make a similar deposit on the top. This operation is repeated by each 

 party alternately, until quite a mound is raised, sometimes to the height 

 of four or five feet. 



The strong musky substance contained in the glands of the Beaver, is 



called castoreum ; by trappers, bark-stone ; with this the traps are baited. 



46 



