FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 147 



world. Its influence on the exploration, colonization and settlement of this 

 country was very great. The trade in its peltries proved a source of competition 

 and strife not only among the local merchants' but also between the several 

 colonies, disputes over the boundaries having frequently arisen from this cause 

 alone. Indeed, on more than one occasion jealousy of the Beaver trade led to 

 serious difficulties in the struggles for supremacy between the three rival powers, 

 the Dutch, English and French." 



How great the number of wild Beavers in this State once was may be 

 inferred from the statement of the Dutch author quoted by Dr. Merriam, who, 

 writing in 167 1, states that at that time the colony of New Netherlands furnished 

 "80,000 Beavers a year." As late as the year 1815 we learn from De Kay that 

 the Beaver still existed in such plentiful numbers in the Adirondack region that 

 it was possible for a party of St. Regis Indians, who that year ascended the 

 Oswegatchie River, in St. Lawrence County, for the purpose of pursuing these 

 valuable animals, to return after an absence of a few weeks with three hun- 

 dred Beaver skins. In 1895 Mr. Wilbur C. Witherstine, of Herkimer, shot a 

 Beaver in the outlet of Madawaska Pond. About the same time two Beavers 

 were caught by trappers from Saranac Lake. These are, as far as known, the 

 last wild Beavers to have been taken in this State. The following winter 

 the Legislature passed a law absolutely prohibiting their pursuit under a severe 

 penalty. 



While the Beaver to-day is practically extinct in the State, there are known to 

 exist one or two small families in the Adirondacks. Mr. Harry V. Radford, the 

 New York sportsman, to whose energy and persistency is chiefly due the inaugu- 

 ration by the State of the experiment of restoring Moose and Elk to its forests, 

 and. who also has been one of the most interested in the plan to secure protection 

 for the Black Bear, is in possession of a number of interesting specimens of 

 Beaver work. These consist of fresh wood cuttings — sections of small Aspen 

 trees which have been peeled of their bark by the Beavers, and in which their 

 tooth-marks can be plainly seen. The specimens were collected recently in the 

 Adirondacks. The Commission is of the opinion that, as the Adirondack region 

 is a natural Beaver country, and as the Beaver multiplies rapidly, a small appro- 

 priation is desirable to procure several colonies of these interesting and valuable 

 animals for the purpose of eventually restoring them to the woods. 



