174 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



Occasionally solitary individuals may be seen lying, in the day- 

 time, in what I have elsewhere ('21) called " forms," on the shore 

 near the water's edge, apparently merely resting, taking a sun-bath, 

 or dozing. Ranger David Conkey informed me that he also had 

 observed beaver lying thus in the Adironclacks, but I did not hap- 

 pen upon any forms during my stay there. 



Senses and Voice. As to the senses of hearing, seeing and 

 smelling, it is probable that, as with the majority of other mammals, 

 the beaver gets most of its informaiton by means of hearing and 

 scent. I am aware of no scientific experiments upon the beaver in 

 captivity to determine the relative rank of the senses mentioned. 

 From my own experiences in the field I am inclined to place the 

 auditory and olfactory senses about on a par as to keenness, and 

 apparently the ones upon which the beaver is most dependent for 

 warning against enemies. But I am also convinced that the eyes are 

 not to be rated as altogether short-sighted or dull where it may 

 obtain an unobstructed view of a moving object. Dugmore ('14, 

 p. 107) speaks of young beaver as being able to see a hawk " even 

 though it appears as a speck in the heavens.'' With regard to a per- 

 son or other feared animal, providing it is motionless, the beaver is 

 able to discriminate no better than any other rodent, or most other 

 wild mammals. 



The only vocal sounds I have ever personally heard the beaver 

 make were what might be called low murmurs or gruntings by the 

 animals when they were in the lodge. Mills, however, says ('13, 

 pp. 26-27) that beavers have a strange, shrill whistle or call, which 

 seems to be a note of alarm, suspicion or warning ; and that a young 

 beaver when alarmed " gives a shrill and frightened cry not unlike 

 that of a lost human child." 



Swimming and Diving. In swimming, the propelling organs are 

 the hind feet. The flat tail serves principally as a rudder and is 

 capable of being tilted from the horizontal to an angle of probably 

 forty-five degrees or more. It is possible that it may at times be 

 used as a scull but I have personally never seen it thus employed. 

 When swimming straight away the beaver strikes out with both 

 feet simultaneously, but when turning, the strokes may alternate, 

 one being more vigorous than the other, and the tail assists. I have 

 many times observed beaver in captivity use their feet and tail 

 in this manner and on at least two exceptionally favorable occasions 

 in the wilds. The fore feet are not used in swimming but are held 

 against the sides of the body. 



