THE BEAVER IN NORWAY 251 
known for years. They will even occasionally cross 
small arms of the sea, and the perils of the journey end 
in death to no inconsiderable number. 
Several old-time superstitions still cling round the beaver. 
One of the most persistent and most incorrect is that 
the flat scaly tail is employed as a trowel for plastering 
down the mud during building operations. Another is 
that the secretion of the tail-glands—the castoreum of the 
old pharmacopoeia—has the property of frightening away 
whales or porpoises when approaching the boat! Still 
more strange is the old idea that some individuals were 
compelled to lie on their backs and be laden with building 
materials, when they were dragged by their companions 
to the scene of operations. Probably this fable originated 
from the circumstance that many individuals have the 
hair worn off the back from constantly passing up and 
down the narrow burrow or entrance to a lodge. 
