( i«5 ) 



with nets, by lying upon the watch, by opening 

 the ice, and with gins. The firft and third are ge- 

 nerally joined together; the fecond way is feldom 

 made ufe of ; the little eyes of this animal being fo 

 fharp, and its hearing fo acute, that it is difficult 

 to get within mot of it, before it gains the water- 

 fide, from which it never goes far at this time of 

 the year, and in which it dives immediately. It 

 would even be loft after being wounded, in cafe 

 it is able to reach the water, for when mortally 

 wounded it never comes up again. The two laft 

 manners are therefore moil generally practifed. 



Though the beavers lay up their winter provifion 5 

 they notwithstanding from time to time make fome 

 excurfions into the woods in que ft of frefher and 

 more tender food, which delicacy of theirs fome- 

 times cofts them their lives. The Indians lay traps 

 in their way made nearly in the form of the figure 

 4, and for a bait place fmall bits of tender wood 

 newly cut. The beaver no fooner touches it, than 

 a large log falls upon his body, which breaks his 

 back, when the hunter, coming up, eafily difpatches 

 him. The method by opening the ice requires 

 more precaution, and is done in this manner. When 

 the ice is yet but half a foot in thicknefs, an open- 

 ing is made with a hatchet ; thither the beavers 

 come for a lupply of frefti air \ the hunters watch 

 for them at the hole, and perceive them coming at 

 a great diftance, their breath occafioning a conft- 

 derable motion in the water thus it is eafy for them 

 to take their meafures for knocking them in the 

 head the moment they raife it above water. In or- 

 der to make fure of their game, and to prevent 

 their being perceived by the beavers, they cover the 

 hole with the leaves of reeds, and of the plant T\- 

 pba, and after they under ftand that the animal is 



L 3 within 



