THE BEAVER, 



the family or colony to which it belongs ; our wonder and aftonithment will 

 be inftantly excited, and inltead of the moll inactive and unmeaning, we 

 mall be led to pronounce it one of the molt provident, fagacious, and active 

 animals in the creation. 



Few opportunities of obferving the habits of the Beaver having occurred, 

 to thofe who know how to make the proper ufe of them, the accounts given 

 of it have in confequence been various, often contradictory, and always full 

 of the marvellous ; which is not at all to be wondered at, when w r e reflect 

 that the greater! part of them have been related on the authority of Beaver 

 hunters, whofe only object being to obtain the animal itfelf, its habits and 

 natural hittory could but little concern them. 



In this embarralfed fituation, fcarcely knowing what we ought to admit 

 and what reject, we are happy to avail ourfelves of the opportunity offered 

 by a recent account of the Beaver, published by Captain G. Cartwright (a), 

 who refided nearly flxteen years on the Labrador Coaft, and appears to have 

 taken great pains to acquire a knowledge of this extraordinary animal. He 

 very judicioufly apprizes the reader, that his account will appear to be very 

 different, in many inltances, from what Buffon and others have written on 

 the fubjecl: ; and begs it may be remembered that they wrote chiefly from 

 hearfay, but that what he advances is the refult of his own adual 

 obfervation. 



The length of the Beaver, from the nofe to the tail, is about three feet ; 

 the tail is eleven inches long and three inches broad ; the cutting teeth are 

 very ftrong, and well adapted to the purpofe of gnawing wood ; the ears are 

 fhort, and almolt hid in the fur ; the nofe is blunt ; the fore feet are fmall ; 

 but the hinder ones are large and ftrong; the tail is broad, almoft oval, 

 comprelfed horizontally, and covered with fcales. The hair, or fur, with 

 which the Beaver is covered, is generally of a dark -brown colour, with fome 

 few inftances of variation to black, and very rarely white. This valuable fur 

 is well known to be the foundation of the hat manufactory. 



(a) Journal of Tranfa&ions, &c. on the Labrador Coaft, by G. Cartwright., Efq, 3 vol. 4to. 1/92. 



