Natural History of the Beaver in Canada 351 



Gellen in Switzerland. Amongst the " Benedictiones ad 

 mensas" which have been handed down in the archives 

 of that venerable establishment, there is one dedicated to 

 the beaver : ' ' Sit benedicta fibri saro, piscis voce salnbri ' ' 

 — Blessed be the flesh of the fish-like beaver. Beaver 

 remains have been found abundantly amongst the famous 

 pile-dwellings of the Stone Age clustered around some of 

 the Swiss lakes, but the beaver itself vanished from Swit- 

 zerland some time during the 18th century. These and 

 other facts relating to the European beaver are contained 

 in an article on the history of the beaver in Switzerland, 

 Germany, Norway, and North America, by Dr. A. 

 Girtanner (St. Gallen, 1885). 



Although it has been found impracticable to farm the 

 beaver for its fur in the same way as the silver fox is be- 

 ing farmed on Prince Edward Island, it should be re- 

 membered that while there is no animal more easily ex- 

 terminated, there are few so easy to encourage. In a 

 ' ' Check List of the Vertebrates of Ontario, ' ' issued by 

 the Department of Education in Toronto (1905), the 

 author, Mr. C. W. Nash, says with reference to the 

 beaver: "A few years ago this valuable fur-bearing 

 animal was perilously near to extinction in our Province, 

 but owing to the protection wisely afforded it, the beaver 

 is again becoming abundant in Northern Ontario. In 

 Algonquin Park, where it is strictly preserved, they may 

 be seen to great advantage." 



In consequence of the measures of protection which 

 have been adopted by the Provincial Governments, both 

 in Ontario and Quebec, the life of the beaver is doubtless 

 ensured for many years to come ; but it seems a pity that 

 there should be any difference of opinion upon such an 

 elementary principle as to the preservation of an ancient 

 and valuable type, whose existence adds greatly to the 

 natural beauties and amenities of Canadian woodland 

 scenery. It is not to be wondered at that in the midst of 

 the storm and stress of the Middle Ages in Europe the 

 beaver should have been allowed to depart with a bles- 



