674 CASTORID^— CASTOR 



iV.Q* Cilgerran, which is situated on the summit of a rock, at a place 

 called Canarch Mawr " (now Cenarth). He adds : — " The Teivi has 

 another singular particularity, being the only river in Wales, or even in 

 England, which has beavers ; in Scotland they are said to be found in 

 one river, but are very scarce. I think it not a useless labour, to insert 

 a few remarks respecting the nature of these animals ; the manner in 

 which they bring their materials from the woods to the water, and with 

 what skill they connect them in the construction of their dwellings in 

 the midst of rivers ; their means of defence on the eastern and western 

 sides against hunters, and also concerning their fish-like tails." After 

 reciting the early fable as to the means by which Beavers transport 

 timber he proceeds : — 



" In some deep, still corner of the river, the beavers use such skill in 

 the construction of their habitations, that not a drop of water can 

 penetrate, or the force of storms shake them ; nor do they fear any 

 violence but that of mankind, nor even that, unless well armed. They 

 entwine the branches of willows with other wood, and different kinds of 

 leaves, to the usual height of the water, and having made within-side a 

 communication from floor to floor, they elevate a kind of stage, or 

 scaffold, from which they may observe and watch the rising of the 

 waters. In the course of time, their habitations bear the appearance of 

 a grove of willow trees, rude and natural without, but artfully con- 

 structed within. ... It is worthy of remark, that the beaver has but four 

 teeth, two above, and two below, which being broad and sharp, cut like 

 a carpenter's axe, and as such he uses them. They make excavations 

 and dry hiding-places in the banks near their dwellings, and when they 

 hear the stroke of the hunter, who with sharp poles endeavours to 

 penetrate them, they fly as soon as possible to the defence of their 

 castle, having first blown out the water from the entrance of the hole, 

 and rendered it foul and muddy by scraping the earth, in order thus 

 artfully to elude the stratagems of the well-armed hunter, who is 

 watching them from the opposite banks of the river." Giraldus, like 

 other ancient writers, then relates how the Beavers ransom themselves 

 by self-castration, and concludes his narrative with the following: — 

 " The beavers have broad, short tails, thick like the palm of a hand, 

 which they use as a rudder in swimming; and although the rest of 

 their body is hairy, this part, like that of seals, is without hair and 

 smooth ; upon which account, in Germany and the Arctic regions, where 

 beavers abound, great and religious persons, in times of fasting, eat 

 the tails of this fish-like animal, as having both the taste and colour 

 of fish." 



In his Description of England, written about 1577 and prefixed 

 to Holinshed's Chronicles, Harrison says : — " For to saie the truth 

 we have not manie Bevers but onelie in the Teifie in Wales." 



