MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. 69 



could have easily shot it with a pistol, and both in and out of water, first coming directly 

 towards us and then retreating, giving a good view of its hinder parts and tail, was a Beaver. 

 My first impression, as the animal came towards us and plunged into the pool, was that it 

 was an otter; this before I had a good look at it. Even when I saw the tail I could scarcely 

 credit my senses, as I supposed the Beaver was wholly extinct, and was glad to have my 

 friend's positive confirmation that the tail ytssjlat and naked. It was not until after return- 

 ing and on tracing our rambles on the map that I found we were on the ' Beaver Dam 

 Branch ' of the South Fork. 



" If possible, I will make a trip to the spot this winter and try to confirm the record by 

 other evidence. It may be, however, that lumbering operations have been pushed that far 

 up stream." 



Centre Co. — "According to Mr. George K. Boak, Pine Glen, Pa., the 

 beaver was found in Centre Co. about 30 years ago." — Warren in Poultry 

 book, 1897, p. 494. 



Clarion Co. — Last killed on Sandy Creek in northern Clarion Co., near 

 the Venango Co. line, in 1864. — Zendle. 



Cleat field Co. — " Mr. Abraham Neveling, of Coalport, Pa., says, " The last 

 beaver was trapped in Clearfield Co. in 1837." — See Warren, Poultry book, 

 1897, p. 494. A very large beaver meadow lies near Dubois. — Rhoads. 



Clinton Co. — An old beaver dam on Fishing Creek. — Hays. Seth I. Nel- 

 son, who hunted in the thirties in Potter [and Tioga] Cos. when those coun- 

 ties were largely covered with virgin forest, and the elk, wolf and pekan were 

 still numerous, never met with living beaver. In contrast with this we have 

 the following statement from his son, Seth Nelson (Jr.) : "The last [beaver] 

 taken in this state was killed on Pine Creek nine years ago [1884]. A part 

 of Pine Creek is in Clinton Co.,* part in Potter Co. and part in Tioga Co., 

 but the beaver was started in Potter Co. and followed down through Tioga 

 Co., and killed in Clinton Co." — See Rhoads, Proc. Acad. N. Sci., Phila., 



1897, p. 2X0. 



Crawford Co. — Formerly in Pyraatuning and Conneaut marshes. — See 

 local beaver names in that region. — Kirkpatrick, 1900. 



Elk Co. — None known to exist in Elk Co. during my experience of 50 

 years. — Luhr, 1900. "At head of Bennett's Branch [near St. Mary's] is a 

 marsh called Flag Swamp, remarkable as probably the only one in the state 

 in which the beaver may be found [about 1850]." — See Hist. Elk Co., 1890, 



P- 473- 



Forest Co. — There was a colony on Salmon Creek, Central Forest Co. 70 

 years ago. — Haslet, 1901. The Beaver Meadows in Jenks Twp. covered 

 2000 acres. Beavers were numerous in 1833 when Cyrus Blood settled in 

 Jenks, but soon exterminated. — Irwin. 



jFefferson Co. — Late in " the thirties " George Pelton brought beaver pelts 

 to Brookville. — See McKnight's Hist. Jeff. Co., 1898, p. 89. These pelts 



* It forms part of the southeastern boundary of the Co. 



