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tain. It is pretended, that when thefe animals have 

 difcovered hunters, or any of thofe beads of prey 

 which make war on them, they dive to the bottom, 

 beating the water with their tails with fo prodigious 

 a noife, as to be heard at the diftance of half a 

 league. This is probably to warn the reft to be 

 upon their guard. It is faid alfo, that they are of 

 fo quick a fcent, that when they are in the water 

 they will perceive a canoe at a great diftance. But 

 they add, that they fee only fide-ways like the 

 hares, which defect often delivers them into the 

 hands of the hunters, whom they would endeavour 

 to avoid. Laftly, it is arTerted, that when the 

 beaver has loft his mate, he never couples with ano- 

 ther, as is related of the turtle. 



The Indians take great care to hinder their dogs 

 from touching the bones of the beaver, they being 

 fo very hard as to fpoil their teeth. The fame 

 thing is faid of the bones of the porcupine. The 

 common run of thefe barbarians give another rea- 

 fon for this precaution, which is, fay they, for fear 

 of irritating the fpirits of thofe animals, which 

 might render their hunting unprofperous another 

 time. But I am inclined to be of opinion, that 

 this reafon was found out after the pra&ice was 

 eftablifhed ; for thus has fuperftition ufurped the 

 place of natural caufes to the fhame of human un- 

 derftanding. I moreover wonder, Madam, that 

 no attempt has hitherto been made to tranfport to 

 France fome of thefe wonderful creatures ; we have 

 many places where they might find every thing 

 proper for building and fubfiftence, and I am of 

 opinion they would multiply greatly in a fhort 

 time. 



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