4IO REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 



a round hole was cut for the passage of the beavers in and out of their house ; 

 and, lest the water in the pond might rise suddenly during the night in con- 

 sequence of a heavy rain or of the drain-hole becoming stopped up by the 

 fine wood refuse, and the beavers' house become flooded, two rows of 

 shelves were erected inside the latter upon which the animals could take 

 refuge in such an emergency. The dimensions of the house were as follows : 

 length, nine feet; width, four and one-half feet; height at ridge, four feet; 

 at eaves, three and one-half feet. 



A comfortable bed of soft, dry straw was strewn deeply over the floor 

 of the house, in which the beavers could make warm nests, and straw was 

 also placed upon the shelves. For the convenience of the keeper in renew- 

 ing this bed and of examining the interior of the house from time to time ) 

 one side of the roof was so arranged, with hinges, that it could be raised 

 up bodily, and the interior of the house laid open for inspection. 



The seven beavers arrived at Old Forge on December 17, and were 

 immediately placed in the rearing pond.* From the start, it was found 

 that there were two of the beavers which the other five would not allow 

 to enter the house. They were constantly being attacked, and one of 

 them was nearly killed by his mates during the first night after their 

 arrival in the pond. He was only saved by the timely appearance of 

 Mr. Davidson, who had been awakened by the noise of the conflict. 

 They had crowded the unfortunate beaver into one corner of the pond, 

 where it cowered, apparently in great fear. Its tail had been severely 

 injured by the others, and before morning was rendered worse by being 

 frozen — the beaver being unable to take refuge in the house and having 

 no dry place to rest. 



Seeing that two of the seven beavers were not to be allowed the privi- 

 leges of the house erected for them, Messrs. Ball and Davidson fenced off 

 the pond into three sections, and built two additional houses, somewhat 

 smaller than the first. The largest section of the pond, with the largest 

 house, was left in possession of the five bellicose beavers, while each of 

 the others had a house and a section of the pond to himself. The segre- 



* Previously, for some days, they had been kept in the cellar of Mr. Robert Moore, of Fulton 

 Chain, the local game protector, awaiting the completion of the house. 



