ZOOLOGY. 33, 
The flesh of the beaver is very highly esteemed, both by the’ 
Indians and white hunters. It has a flavor peculiar to itself, bear- 
ing some resemblance to beachnut pork, but more sweet and 
juicy. 
The Indians have several superstitions .in connection with the 
beaver. The Chippewas will, on no occasion, partake of beaver 
meat until they know that, a bone, in one of the fore-legs, is taken 
out and buried. ‘The cause of this, I have never been able to 
ascertain, though Jack La Pette, a Chief living with the remnant 
of his tribe, sixteen: miles below Marquette, explained to me a 
tradition which they believe in, in regard to the creation of the 
world. He says that, previous to the creation, all was water, and 
that the Great Manitou made three animals, the Muskrat, Otter, 
and Beaver, and told the Muskrat to dive down to the bottom, 
and bring up some mud. He dove, and on coming up, said that 
he could not find bottom; whereupon, the Manitou got angry, 
and changed his tail, which was formerly like the otter’s, to an 
angular shape, and denuded it of fur. He then sent down the 
otter, who returned, and said that he had found the bottom, but 
had nothing to carry up dirt in. Then the Manitou made the beay- 
er’s tail of a flat oval form, and the animal disappeared beneath 
the surface, and came up with a quantity of mud on his tail (with 
which he has carried mud ever since.) This dirt the Manitou 
took, and with it, created an/island, which has been gradually in- 
creasing, until it has attained its present size, known to the white 
man as the terrestial globe. 
Beavers, while migrating, are sometimes met with by the Indi- 
ans, who usually, on such occasions, exterminate the whole lot of 
them. The bank beaver does not construct lodges, but tunnels the 
bank of the river. The entrance of the tunnel is always below 
low water mark, and after running ten or fifteen feet into the bank. 
extends upwards above water level, often under the roots of a 
tree, or bottom of a large stone, and near enough to the surface to 
admit air. | Where the roots of a tree are not convenient, they 
erect a pile of sticks, having first eaten of the bark. These piles 
of sticks are often found by the Indians, who at once recognize 
them, and search along the bank for the eatrance of the tunnel, 
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