COMMON BEAVER* 



31 



except at the base, and marked out into scaly 

 divisions like the skin of a fish. The general 

 length of the Beaver is about three feet, and of 

 the tail nearly one foot. The colour of the ani- 

 mal is a deep chesnut, and the hair is very fine, 

 smooth, and glossy. The Beaver, like other 

 quadrupeds, sometimes varies in colour, and is 

 occasionally found perfectly black. Instances 

 have also occurred in which it has been found 

 entire white, cream coloured, or spotted (as in 

 some specimens of the Leverian Museum). 



Of all quadrupeds the Beaver is considered as 

 possessing the greatest degree of natural or in- 

 stinctive sagacity in constructing its habitation ; 

 preparing^ in concert with others of its own spe- 

 cies, a kind of arched caverns or domes, supported 

 by a foundation of strong pillars, and lined or 

 plastered internally with a degree of neatness and 

 accuracy unequalled by the art of any other qua- 

 druped. It does not appear that this extraordinary 

 sagacity of the Beaver was known to the ancients, 

 though they were well acquainted with the ani- 

 mal, which they killed chiefly for the sake of the 

 medical drug castoreum or castor. It should 

 seem, however, that the architecture of the Bea- 

 ver is no where so conspicuous as in the northern 

 parts of America, and that those of Europe do 

 not in general exhibit equal talents in preparing 

 their mansions. 



The favourite resorts of the Beaver are retired, 

 watery, and woody situations. In such places 

 the animals assemble, to the number of some 



