AMATEUR PHOTO BY G. BICKFORD. 



TREES FELLED BY BEAVERS 

 Reprinted by request, from Recreation, June, 1900. 



quarter of an hour getting my horse back 

 to safe ground after trying to cross the 

 bog. 



Within even a shorter ride of Denver one 

 may find traces of beaver and their work. 

 A few are occasionally seen on West Plum 

 creek, and on a creek near Perry park ; 

 some just above Littleton; and I am told 

 by Mr. Howard Reed that he has recently 

 detected fresh signs, in the way of chips 

 and cuttings, along the Platte, South of 

 Denver. In the mountain districts along 

 the Platte, besides the work in Geneva 

 park, Mr. T. D. Ross tells me he has noted 

 traces in Beaver gulch, back of Webster's, 

 on the Colorado Southern, in Hall val- 

 ley, near the same station, and in St. John's 

 gulch, near Montezuma. Farther North, 

 on the Eastern slope of the range, there are 

 still a few beaver to be found, for during 

 the past summer friends of mine found 

 fresh evidences of them in Estes park, and 

 I am told there are still a few along the 

 St. Vrain river. 



Almost every stream on the Western side 

 of the continental divide in Colorado has 

 traces of former colonies of beaver, but few 

 fresh signs are to be found to-day. There 

 are still a few in Routt county, especially 

 about Elk Head creek, below McKinley's 

 ranch ; in Buffalo park, North of Hahn's 

 peak; and on the White river, near Meeker. 



There is also a colony about De Beque. 

 Some beaver are occasionally seen in the 

 Grand river, between Rifle and Antlers, 

 but they now never build dams or houses. 

 They live in holes in the river bank, as 



AMATEUR PHOTO EY W. H. BERGTOLD 



BEAVER GNAWINGS. 



they are wont to do when much perse- 

 cuted. 



Such an interesting and valuable fur 

 bearing animal should not be allowed to 

 perish. I repeat that it can probably be 

 semi-domesticated, and when given peace 

 and protection it ought to increase. It 

 might possibly, under suitable circum- 

 stances, be a source of profit to a property 

 holder. 



Some of the photographs herewith shown 

 illustrate at beaver's - work«and its anatom- 



429 



