CASTOR FTP.F.R CAXADEXSIS. 25; 



miration ; they are thus constructed — the Beavers first coHect to- 

 gether all the th'ift wood wliich tliey find alono- the river, and 

 whenever tliis falls short, the\- onaw away, in the next adjoinino^ 

 wood, the sweetest bark all around with the; front teeth, of which 

 the\- have two in the upper, and two in the lower L^um, they then 

 cut rioht around the; trunk until the trc;e falls; when they also 

 shorten the pieces in like manner, to adapt them to the proposed 

 buildini4". The females carry the pieces on the back, the males 

 support it behind so that it may not fall off. The houses rise in- 

 genioush' to the height of five stories ; the\' are smeared above 

 with cla)' to protect tlunri from the rain ; in the middle is a con- 

 \enient aperture through which to dive into the water as soon as 

 they perceive any person. Wherefore, one of the troop keeps 

 watch by turns, and in the winter a second keeps the water open 

 by constant beating of the tail. The tail is tlattish without hair, 

 and most daint}' food which in some places is served u}) as a rare 

 delicacv. The beavers or() with \-oung sixtecMi weeks ; they bear 

 once a year four )-oung, which cr\- and suck like young children ; 

 for the mother rises on her hind paws and gives each two a breast 

 as she has only two breasts between the fore legs ; these legs re- 

 semble somewhat those of the dog ; the hindmost, like those of 

 geese, laf) in some measure over each other. On both sides of the 

 privy parts lie two swellings enclosed in sc^parate membranes, 

 l^-om the privy parts oozes an oleaginous humor, with which they 

 smear all the accessible parts of the boch' in order to keep dry. 

 Inwardl)- they resemble a cut up hog; they live on leaves and 

 bark; are excessively attached to their young; the wind-hairs 

 which rise glittering above the back, fall off in the summer, and 

 grow again by the fall ; they are short necked ; have strong sinews 

 and muscles ; move rapidly in the water and on land; attacked by 

 men or dogs, they bite fiercely. The pure Castor, so highly prised 

 l)y physicians, consists of oblong follicles, resembling a wrinkled 

 pear which are firmly attached to the as pubis of the female beaver; 



