214 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
still at the surface of the water the tail also may be 
seen. Under water the head is held lower or more 
directly in line with the body as far as I have been 
able to judge, and they can remain under water for 
six or seven minutes or even more, according to 
some observers. When submerged the ears are 
closed, as also are the nostrils, except when slightly 
opened to emit the vitiated air. 
In slapping the water with the tail it has been 
fairly well proved by means of my photographs 
that the position assumed by the animal is not at 
all according to previously published accounts in 
which the impression has been given that the head 
is down or even under water at the moment of 
the slap, whereas the head and the shoulders are 
actually held very high out of the water as the tail 
is raised. The action is so rapid that it is practically 
indistinguishable to the eye. In diving the beaver 
can go down so quietly that there is no disturbance 
to the water’s surface. 
On land the beaver walks with its back much 
arched and tail dragging ; when listening it usually 
stands erect on its hind feet with the tail used as a 
balance, and when sitting down it often brings the 
tail round forward and even sits on it, though per- 
sonally I have never seen this position. The 
eyesight of the beaver is fairly keen, but they 
depend more on their extremely acute senses of 
hearing and smell, particularly the latter, which is 
very highly developed. Like most wild animals 
