i62 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



of the year, peat soon begins to form ; and this spreads year after 

 year, until in place of the old forest ground is a peat marsh, mostly 

 known as a "beaver meadow". Traces of these peat marshes 

 have even been found in countries from which the beaver has for 

 many years disappeared. In some parts of North America 

 " beaver meadows " extend throughout nearly the entire course 

 of a stream, and a broad opening is cut through the forest upon 

 either bank. 



After the dam is completed, the beavers still continue to fell 

 trees and cut them up into logs, which are used for necessary re- 

 pairs, and the bark of which supplies food during the winter months. 

 When required for this latter purpose the)- are sunk under water, 

 and piled carefully together in the neighbourhood of one of the 

 beaver habitations, about which we shall presently read. 



In close proximity to their dams the beavers always con- 

 struct a number of " lodges ", as they are generally called, in each 

 of w hich five or six animals live together. These lodges are built 

 in the same way as the dam itself, a number of logs and branches 

 being carefully laid in position, and fastened in their place by 

 means of stones, while the interstices are filled in with smaller 

 sticks and earth. The A\hole is then plastered over with a thick 

 coating of mud. 



On the average, these lodges, ^^■hich are nearly circular, are 

 about seven feet in diameter, and from two to three feet in 

 height, measured internally. But the walls are so thick that 

 the external diameter is seldom less than fifteen feet, and the height 

 than seven. In the winter these walls freeze into a solid mass, 

 and bid defiance to even the sharp claws of the wolverene, a 

 predacious weasel-like animal, which otherwise might dig its way 

 into the lodge and feast upon the inmates. 



The beavers are most painstaking in the construction of these 

 habitations, and repair them carefully if they should be in any 

 way damaged. A lodge is never situated far from the water's 

 edge, and round each is dug a ditch which communicates A\ith 

 the stream, and is of sufficient depth to prevent the water in it 

 from ever being completely frozen. Into this ditch the entrance 

 opens, so that the inmates of the lodge can make their way to 



