OEDEE OF EODENTIA. 471 



fore, and are fully webbed. Owing to the deep separation 

 of the fingers, and the existence of certain fleshy tubercles, 

 I)laced on the lower face of the extremities, they fulfil to some 

 extent the functions of thumbs, those in front more especially. 

 The muzzle is prolonged a little way beyond the jaws, and 

 the nostrils are remarkably mobile. The ears are also movable ; 

 they do not show much, and the animal has the faculty of placing 

 them close to its head when it dives, so as to prevent water 

 entering the auditory passage. Its coat is well adapted to 

 the requirements of an aquatic life, and is composed of a 

 fine thick woolly substance, which lies close ujion the skin and 

 is impervious to water. This first covering is hidden under 

 long, silky, and glossy hair. The Beaver is about a foot in 

 height and two feet in length, not including the tail, which 

 is about one half the length of the body. 



Wo have already stated that Musk-Rats combine to construct 

 habitations in close proximity to one another. The Beaver 

 affords us a still more striking example of the love of associating 

 with its own race, for, when practicable, they invariably live in 

 numerous societies. 



Beavers are essentially aquatic ; they swim with great case ; 

 in their hind feet they jjossess effective propelling power, and in 

 their tail an excellent rudder. Countries intersected with lakes 

 and rivers are, therefore, the localities in which they are^ found, 

 such as the unfrequented solitudes of North America and Canada. 

 Before the advent of the White Man they were universally spread 

 over the northern portion of that continent. 



A feature to be noted in the habits of the Beaver is its extreme 

 cleanliness. It will not suffer the slightest trace of filth to remain 

 on the floor of its chamber. In captivity it preserves this 

 characteristic. Bufibn, who kept one, says that when it was shut 

 up for too long a period, it deposited its excrement near the door, 

 and that, as soon as it was opened, it hastened to eject it.* This 

 dread of filthiness appears to be owing to the exquisite sensibility 

 of its nasal organs. 



The Beaver does not build a house when the conditions of 

 existence cease to demand it. This explains why the surviving 



* Havinn; for some months pnssossod throe tame Beavers, whose habits I closely 

 Btudiud, I can testily to the correctness of this statcnieut. — Ed. 



