CUTTING DOWN TREES. 265. 
of the body, using only the hind-feet to propel 
themselves through the water. Before diving, 
the beaver gives a smart slap with its tail on 
the water, making a noise that may be heard 
‘a considerable distance, but in swimming, the 
‘tail is not seen to work, the animal being 
entirely submerged except the nose and part 
of the head; it swims fast and well, but with 
nothing like tne speed of the otter. 
The beavers cut a broad ditch all around 
their lodge, so deep that it caunot freeze to 
the bottom, and into this ditch they make 
the holes already spoken of, through which 
they go in and out and bring their food. 
The beds of these singular animals are sepa- 
ated slightly from each other, and are placed 
around, the wall or circumference of the in- 
terior of the lodge; they are formed merey 
of a few grasses, or the tender bark of trees: 
the space in the centre of the lodge being 
left unoccupied. The beavers usually go to 
the dam every evening to see if repairs are 
sneeded, 
, They rarely travel by land, unless their dams 
‘have been carried away by the ice, and even 
then they take the beds of the rivers or streams 
for their roadway. In cutting down trees they 
are not always so fortunaté as to have them fall 
into the water, or even towards it, as the trunks 
23 
