414 HOMES WITHOUT H.WDS. 



SO completely that it intercepts all large floatiug objects, and 

 every log or branch that may happen to be thrown into the river 

 is arrested by the dam, and aids in increasing its dimensions. 



Mud and earth are also continually added by the Beavers, so 

 that in process of time the dam becomes as firm as the land 

 through which the river passes, and is covered with fertile allu- 

 vium. Seeds soon make their way to the congenial soil, and in 

 a dam of long standing, forest trees have been known to grow, 

 their roots adding to the general stability by binding together 

 the materials. It is well known that the fertile islands formed on 

 coral reefs are stocked in a similar manner. Originally, the dam 

 is seldom more than a yard in width where it overtops the water, 

 but these unintentional additions cause a continual increase. 



The bark with which the logs were originally covered, is not 

 all eaten by the animals, but stripped away, and the greater part 

 hidden under water, to serve for food in the winter time. A 

 further winter provision is also made by taking the smaller 

 branches, diving with them to the foundations of the dam, and 

 carefully fastening them among the logs. When the Beavers are 

 Imngry, they dive to their hidden stores, pull out a few branches, 

 cany them on land, nibble away the bark, and drop the stripped 

 logs on the water, where they are soon absorbed by the dam. 



We have now seen how the Beavers keep the water to the 

 required level, and we must next see how they make use of it. 

 The Beaver is essentially an aquatic mammal, never walking 

 when it can swim, and seldom appearing qvdte at its ease upon 

 dry land. It therefore makes its houses close to the water, 

 and communicating with it by means of subterranean passages, 

 one entrance of which passes into the house or " lodge," as it is 

 technically named, and the other into the water, so far below 

 the surface that it cannot be closed by ice. It is, therefore, 

 always possible for the Beaver to gain access to the provision 

 stores, and to return to its house, without being seen from tlie 

 land. 



The lodges are nearly circular in form, and much resemble 

 the well known snow houses of the Esquimaux, being domed, 

 and about half as high as thoy are wide, the average height 

 being three feet and the diameter six or seven feet. These are 

 the interior dimensions, the exterior measurement being much 

 greater, on account of the great tliickness of tlie walls, which 



