4 CASTOROtOGIA. 



settlements, we may reasonably infer that much of the present site 

 of the city of Montreal, was then occupied by them. 



It was not, however, till the establishing of the fur-trading post 

 at Quebec in 1604, and at Montreal in 161 1, that the commercial 

 importance was taken advantage of, and the destruction of the 

 beaver hosts began. Though the beaver trade of Canada soon 

 assumed proportions commanding the attention of Parliament, it 



J. ^ JV 



V.*i 



FIGURE OF A BEAVER FROM THE EARLIEST KNOWN MOXOGRAPH- 



-1685. 



was two centuries later, before science manifested any interest. In 

 1820, Kuhl published a description of a Canadian beaver, then in the 

 British Museum, and named it Castor Canadensis, thus creating a 

 specific name in contradistinction to Castor Eiiropcsus,\h& Buropean 

 beaver. In size the creatures were much alike ; in color the Euro- 

 pean was not so dark, but no difference of any moment was detected, 

 till, in 1825, Frederick Cuvier pointed out a difference in the skulls, 

 which has since been recognized as establishing the species. Kuhl's, 

 being the first distinctive name published to science, by the rules of 



