106 R. Collett. [No. 1 



In the middle of the 18th century, they were probably still 

 distributed throughout most of the woodland valleys, from the 

 southernmost parts of the country to the furthest confines of Fin- 

 marken, but especially, (1) in the valleys of the diocese of Chri- 

 stianssand, (2) throughout the inland eastern forest districts, south 

 of the Dovrefjeld, (3) the interior of Nordland, (4) and of Finmarken. 

 They were thus especially prevalent on the frontier of the country. 

 They were invariably less numerous on the West Coast, and, in 

 parts, entirely absent. 



A great number of names, to be met with almost everywhere 

 throughout the land, still bear the designation of the Beaver (Bjor-, 

 Bjur-, Bo ver- &c. &c. (see Appendix). 



I. Southern Norway. 



Solør and Østerdalen. During the whole of the previous 

 century, the chief haunt of the Beaver was in Østerdalen, especi- 

 ally in Trysil, but was also to be met with in Rendalen, Tolgen 

 and other valleys ; and some of the tributaries of the river Glommen 

 are still called after the Beaver. 



Detailed accounts of this animal are given in Smith's descrip- 

 tion of Trysil (p. 8), written in 1784. They had even then de- 

 creased greatly in numbers, which the said author presumes was 

 caused by too great persecution. 



The form of the lodges is described as that of a mound (the 

 original shape, which is seldom met with now). 



The Beaver had disappeared from Trysil (and the whole of 

 Østerdalen) at the beginning of the present century, but even in 

 the Eighties, traces of an old Beaver lodge were to be seen in 

 Eltedal, parish of Trysil. 



According to information supplied to Mr. Cocks (p. 9), one 

 Beaver was said to have been shot in the Slema (north of the 

 river Rena) in 1855. 



Høland and Urskoug. The colonies in these parts were a 

 continuation of those in Østerdalen and Solør. At the close of last 

 century the Beaver seems to have disappeared entirely, but has 

 since then again immigrated (at the same time that it disappeared 

 from Østerdalen), and was still there till well on in the Twenties. 

 The last specimen was shot in Høland in 1833. 



