Adirondack Beaver 121 



these. Likewise along some streams the heavers do not build dams. 

 Where dams occur they alone do not furnish any safe index to the 

 number of animals engaged, for a family of beavers may build one 

 dam or several as conditions may prompt them. The visible results 

 of beaver operations are frequently all out of proportion to the 

 number of animals involved in the performance. A dam built by a 

 single individual or by a pair of beavers, if placed in a favorable 

 situation may cause such an extensive flooding or flow as to lead one 

 to believe that a dozen or more had been engaged on it. With 

 sufficient time in a given locality it is quite possible to arrive at a 

 fairly close estimate of the number of beavers, by careful watching 

 for the animals themselves and by examination and comparison of 

 various signs, but obviously in a large area and with limited time 

 only a rough estimate could be made. However, lodges and dams 

 taken together give at least some idea of the character of the dis- 

 tribution of the beavers along the streams ; and from this one may 

 draw tentative conclusions as to the density of the beaver population. 

 In the regions investigated the Rangers were always asked to direct 

 or take me to the localities, if accessible, which were known to have 

 the largest number of beaver and where the most extensive damage 

 was being done. 



A short account of the natural history of the beaver is included, 

 as Part II, in this report because such knowledge of its behavior is 

 a necessary background for any intelligent understanding of the 

 beaver problem, and it may be of use, also, to the large number of 

 visitors and dwellers in the Adirondacks who are interested in wild 

 life and who do not have access to reliable information. To most 

 people who enjoy the out-of-doors, the beaver with its wonderful 

 instincts, has a fascination equalled by few other animals. By 

 reason of its shy and retiring habits, when living where it is fre- 

 quently disturbed, it is seldom seen by the visitor to its native haunts, 

 and is therefore known to him chiefly by its works. These works, 

 which are often on a large scale, seem so perfectly adapted to the 

 animal's needs and so similar to human engineering that one is 

 readily led into accepting them as the product of a directing intel- 

 ligence of a very high order. It is not strange that many fanciful 

 tales have been written and told about this master builder of the 

 wilds. 



I wish to acknowledge the helpful cooperation given me in the 

 prosecution of this work by the officials of The New York State 

 College of Forestry and the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment 



