1388 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
thought for the others and immediately warns 
them by slapping the water. Foster parentage 
is not uncommon among beaver ; where a mother 
has been killed her young are taken care of by 
others that have young themselves, an exhibition 
of the noblest form of charity which entails a great 
amount of labour and worry upon the foster 
mothers and fathers. The more one sees of wild 
animals the more one is forced, if not blinded by 
prejudice and other equally blighting forms of 
ignorance, to realise and admire the beauty of 
. their natures. And just as we are in danger, as 
Darwin says, of underrating “the mental powers 
of the higher animals,” so are we too oft averse 
to crediting them with a sufficiently well-developed 
moral nature. 
Taking all things into consideration the beaver 
may be said to be one of the most peaceful of 
animals, even cowardly according to some observers. 
Yet this is scarcely a fair statement for any man to 
make. Under ordinary conditions the beaver will 
avoid any exhibition of pugnacity. Even when 
caught in a trap they will watch the approach of 
the trapper without signs of resentment or fear, 
though they probably know that his coming means 
their death. As he approaches they neither snarl 
nor bite, but with a pathetic appeal in their mild 
eyes simply put up their little hands above their 
heads as though to ward off the fatal blow of the 
axe or club. A more touching spectacle would be 
