MUSK BEAVER. 
the odour of the Castoreum is extremely of- 
fensive; and it is only in warm climates that 
the animals which furnish- the true Musk, the 
Civet, and other perfumes, are to be found." 
From the anatomical observations of Mon- 
sieur Sarrasin, we learn, among many other 
curious particulars, that the great muscular 
force in the skin of this animal, enables it to 
contract the body into a small volume ; and 
! that the suppleness of the false ribs, which ad- 
mits this contraction, is so considerable, that 
i it. is able to pass through holes where much 
smaller animals are incapable of entering. 
It appears, that the general colour of this 
animal is a reddish brown, the tail being asli- 
i coloured; that it eats herbs, roots, the pith of 
rushes, and particularly the Calamus Aroma- 
tTcus, or Sweet Fhg ; and that the flesh, -which 
has no flavour of the musk, is excellent food« 
Pennant supposes, that the odour of this 
animal, which it loses in wintei, may be derived' 
from it's feeding on the Calamus Aromaticus. 
He describes the Musk Beaver as having a 
thick 
