80 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
brush and sod which obstructed the waterway: 
Where the lodge was they could not tell, though 
they had gone all through the alder swamps in 
search of it, and they declared that there was no 
lodge. This seemed unlikely, as the nature of the 
land precluded any possibility of a bank burrow. 
After a careful examination of the vicinity I found 
it actually on the railway embankment not ten 
feet from where trains were passing every day, 
but it was so cunningly hidden in a small, thick 
clump of alders that it was almost indistinguishable, 
even though it was fully eight feet in diameter. 
In complete contrast to this one finds the lodges 
on the bleakest barrens, away from any trees or 
shrubs, conspicuous black (being made of pond 
muck) mounds which are visible for a mile or more. 
When entirely protected by water there is seldom 
much attempt. at concealment, and one of the 
most common types is the lodge built on an island, 
artificial or naturai, in the middle of a lake or small 
pond. So also is the lodge often seen on a bare 
point of land extending into the lake. As this 
does not have the protection of the water it makes 
us wonder whether or not the animals place any 
importance on concealment, or whether it is simply 
a matter of individual ideas. 
We do not realise sufficiently how strong individu- 
ality is in animals when we attempt to generalise 
or lay down hard and fast rules to govern their 
actions. It would be far easier for us to under- 
