COMMON BEAVER. 



33 



than the body of a man. By gnawing the foot 

 of the tree with their four cutting teeth they 

 accomphsh their purpose in a very short time, 

 and always make the tree fall across the river. 

 They next cut the branches from the trunk, to 

 make it lie level. These operations are performed 

 by the whole community. Several Beavers are 

 employed in gnawing the foot of the tree, and 

 others in lopping off the branches after it has 

 fallen. Others, at the same time, traverse the 

 banks of the river, and cut down smaller trees, 

 from the size of a man's leg to that of his thigh. 

 These they dress and cut to a certain length, to 

 make stakes of them, and first drag them by land 

 to the margin of the river, and then by water 

 to the place where the building is carrying on. 

 These piles they sink down, and interweave the 

 branches with the larger stakes. This operation 

 implies the vanquishing of many difficulties ; for 

 to dress these stakes, and to put them in a situa- 

 tion nearly perpendicular, some of the Beavers 

 must elevate with their teeth the thick ends 

 against the margin of the river, or against the, 

 cross-tree, while others plunge to the bottom, and 

 dig holes with their fore feet to receive the points 

 that they may stand on end. Whilst some are 

 labouring in this manner, others bring earth, 

 which they plash with their fore feet, and trans- 

 port it in such quantities, that they fill with it all 

 the intervals between the piles. These piles con- 

 sist of several rows of stakes, of equal height, all 

 placed opposite to each other, and extend from 

 V. II. p. I. 3 



