34 SCIURIDiE. 



The eyes, which are very prominent, are black and piercing. 

 Its nest is generally to be found at the root of a tree or 

 in the hollow of some fallen trunk, and is neatly and very 

 firmly built of small twigs and dead leaves, the interior 

 being warmly lined with abundance of dry moss, and so 

 ingeniously covered in as to be perfectly protected from 

 the heaviest rain. The chipmunk, I believe, rarely 

 climbs like the squirrel, for I have often, when lying in 

 wait for ducks or posted at some deer run, watched their 

 amusing gambols, and observed them continually leaping 

 on and clinging to the trunk of a tree, now and then 

 scrambling a few inches up it, but dropping to the ground 

 again -without ascending higher. 



The Beaver {Castor Canadensis') perhaps barely comes 

 under the denomination of game, being more usually 

 trapped than shot; but an animal so interesting de- 

 serves more than a mere passing notice. 



Though once spread over the whole of Canada it is 

 now found only in the most northern districts, and would 

 doubtless ere this have become altogether extinct but for 

 the fortunate stop put to the demand for its skin, by the 

 introduction of other materials in the manufacture of hats ; 

 indeed, since this change, the boaver is said to be rather 

 on the increase. 



Traces of their former habitations are still visible 

 in many of the most cultivated and populous parts 



