AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



31 



AUTHENTIC HISTOKY.— Co/mnuerf. 



sure that he has eaten a great deal more fish, than all the 

 Beavers in the world put together. Beavers will neither 

 eat fish, nor any other animal food; but live upon the leaves 

 and bark of such trees and shrubs as have not a resinous 

 juice, and the root of the water-lilly. I have known them 

 eat black spruce; and they will sometimes cut down 

 silver-fur; but T believe that is only to build with when 

 other trees are scarce. When they eat, they hold their 

 food in their fore-paws, and sit up like monkeys. In the 

 summer time they ramble about very much, paying little 

 regard to their houses, and will make a bed of sticks shred 

 fine, under a bush near the water-side, and there sleep: 

 the first bed of this kind which I found, I took to be the 

 nest of a goose. If the pond which they lived in the last 

 winter, has plenty of such food as they like, growing by 

 the side of it, and they have not been disturbed by man, 

 they will seldom quit it; but if there be a scarcity of food, 

 they will wander about in search of another, where they 

 can be more plentifully supplied: and it has been long ob- 

 served, that of all the trees which grow in Newfoundland 

 or Labrador, they like the aspen best, and next to that the 

 birch. Having found a place convenient for the purpose, 

 they commonly begin early in August to erect their 

 house. The sticks which they make use of on this occa- 

 sion, are of all sizes, from the thickness of a man's ancle 

 to his little finger, but very seldom of larger dimensions. 

 They pile up these materials in the form of a dome, some- 

 times to the height of six or seven feet above the level of 

 the ground, but commonly not more than four. The base 

 is generally of an oval form; the height ten or twelve 

 feet, and eight or nine in width. As they raise this pile 

 above, they hollow it out below, taking care that their bed, 

 or lodging-place, shall be above the reach of floods, and 

 sufficiently roomy to contain the whole family. From the 

 fore part of the house, they build a projection into the 

 pond, sloping downwards all the way, and under this they 

 enter into their house. This entrance is called by the 

 furriers, the angle ; nor do they always content themselves 

 with one, but more commonly will have two, and some- 

 times three. They have but one apartment, which is 

 termed the lodging, and which is shaped in the inside 

 like an oven, the bottom of which is covered with the 

 shreds of sticks, resembling fine narrow shavings. At a 

 little distance from the angle, is their magazine of provi- 

 sions, which consists of the roots of water-lilly, and the 

 branches of trees; the but-ends of the latter they stick into 

 the mud where there is any. The whole is termed ivrith, 

 and I have seen as much as a cart would hold; great part 

 appearing above water. They are very industrious crea- 



tures, for even amidst a superabundance of provisions, 

 they will continue to add to the store; and though their 

 house be completely built, they will still carry on fresh 

 works, until the pond is frozen firm over; they will even 

 keep a hole open to work on the house for some nights 

 after; provided the frost is not very severe; and as they 

 will enter every old house and do a little work upon it, 

 young furriers are frequently deceived thereby, supposing 

 those houses to be inhabited. Although they will some- 

 times continue in the same pond for three or four years or 

 more, yet they will frequently build themselves a new 

 house every year; at other times they will repair an old 

 one, and live in that, and they often build a new 

 house upon or close adjoining to an old one, making 

 the two tops into one, and cut a communication be- 

 tween the lodgings: hence, I presume, arose the idea 

 of their having several apartments. When the pond 

 is not deep enough for them, they will throw a dam across 

 the mouth of the brook by which it discharges its water, 

 to raise it to a sufficient height; making use of sticks, stones, 

 mud, and sand, for this purpose. Some of these I have 

 seen of great length and strength, insomuch that I have 

 walked over them with the greatest safety, though not 

 quite dry-shod, if they be new, as the water always sheds 

 over them, being on an exact level from end to end. But 

 if, notwithstanding the stint, they cannot raise the water 

 to a proper depth, near the bank, they build their house 

 in the pond, at a few yards distance from the shore, be- 

 ginning at the bottom and hollowing it out as they go on, 

 for they must have about three feet depth over the end of 

 the angle, or the water would freeze in it, and they could 

 go neither in nor out. If there be an island in the pond, they 

 generally make their house on that, being the safest place, 

 and by far the greatest number of houses are on the north 

 shore, for the advantage of the sun.- They have no opening 

 from their house, on the land side, and for these reasons; 

 because the frosty air would enter at that hole, and freeze 

 up the water in the angle, whereby they would be cut off 

 from their magazine; the wolves likewise, and other ene- 

 mies, might enter thereat, and kill them; and the cold 

 would be greater than they could bear. 



"Beavers generally bring forth two young ones at a 

 time, which are most commonly male and female; yet 

 they will often have but one, especially the first time of 

 breeding; and sometimes three or four. The first year, 

 they are called pappooses — the second, small medlers — 

 the third, large medlers — the fourth, Beavei — and, after 

 that, old or great Beaver. They copulate in May, and 

 bring forth towards the end of June. The young ones 



