54 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
demand far greater intelligence, though from a 
physical point of view the cutting of immense trees 
by so small an animal is extraordinary, if not 
unique in the world of quadrupeds. Just as in all 
their other engineering and architectural feats, the 
beaver are most systematic in their wood-cutting 
operations ; as a rule the trees bordering the pond 
or river are the first to be cut, then as this supply 
is depleted they go further afield; but as the 
carrying and pushing of logs on land is hard work 
they clear a path or road to the water. When they 
discover a place where there is a poplar grove or 
clump of suitable trees of any variety, they will, 
before beginning other work, make a smooth road- 
way, often as much as five feet or more in width 
leading from the trees to the nearest water. From 
this road every obstruction will usually be cleared 
so that the logs may be brought down with. the 
least possible effort. The actual cutting down of 
the tree is done by means of the chisel-like teeth 
which cut through the wood across the grain with 
the keenness of steel. The number of beaver that 
work together is variable, often a solitary one 
unaided will cut down a tree eight or ten inches in 
diameter during a single night, sometimes several 
will work together; though it is most unusual for 
more than two to be actually cutting at the same 
time, others may be near by, and even take turns, 
but they avoid getting in each other’s way. It 
has often been said that while a tree is being cut, 
