22 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



the dams, as their aim seems to be to 

 have only a dry place to lie on. The 

 outside of their houses are covered 

 with mud ; sometimes the work is 

 delayed until the frost becomes very 

 severe, as the mud freezes almost as 

 stone and prevents their common ene- 

 my, the Wolverine, from disturbing 

 them in winter. They are frequently 

 seen to walk over their work and 

 occasionally to give a flap with their 

 tails, which doubtless gave rise to the 

 common opinion that they used their 

 tails as trowels. 



Beavers can be easily domesticated 

 and make nice pets. They are fond 

 of sweets and you can readily make 

 friends with them by giving them a 

 little sugar. 



The beavers eat the bark of trees, 

 particularly the poplar, birch and 

 willow. 



Both male and female are provided 

 with one pair of little bags containing 

 castoreum, and also a second pair of 

 smaller ones, which are tilled with 

 white fatty matter of the consistency 

 of butter and giving forth a strong 

 odor. When small ponds are inhabi- 

 ted by beavers they are tainted with 

 it, and this water probably forms a 

 dressing to these acquatic animals. 



Herbert Green. 



[Shed and Eat their Coats.* — Cont'd.] 

 the job is wonderful. The greater one 

 measures 16 feet and the other 12. 

 They are males and have mouths like 

 cellar doors, that are filled with fangs. 

 The big snake, which had eaten noth- 



ing for three weeks because he was 

 shedding his coat, got a move on him- 

 self and climed one of the small trees 

 and coiled all around the limbs. Then 

 he rubbed his head and neck violenty 

 against the branches in every direction 

 and gradually loosened the old cuticle 

 from around his head, mouth and 

 neck, 



In the meantime the other snake 

 was not idle. It, too, coiled around 

 the tree, and raising its head took hold 

 of its big brother's neck, and by care- 

 ful manipulation loosened the skin 

 from the head and neck for about a 

 foot down. Then it took hold of the 

 loosened skin, and the keeper and 

 spectators who were watching the pro- 

 ceedings saw what was going to hap- 

 pen. With its head and neck free 

 the big snake could help in the shed- 

 ding operation, and it twisted around 

 the tree near the top and began to 

 pull away from the smaller snake at 

 top speed. Inch by inch the old skin 

 was released and the bright colors of 

 the new cuticle came in view. It took 

 nearly an hour to get about half of the 

 body free from the old covering, and 

 then both snakes rested. The skin 

 was pulled back just as one would 

 turn a glove inside out, and gave the 

 reptile a peculiar appearance. 



When the snakes resumed their job, 

 they employed different tactics. The 

 larger snake climbed higher, and the 

 other made itself fast lower down the 

 tree. The smaller one took hold of 

 the skin and pulled for all it was 

 worth until all the covering, with the 



