THE 
CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
AND 
w§mAm> 
THE BEAVER. 
CASTOR FIBER . 
[Vol. III. Plate I.] 
Castor Fiber , Godman, vol. ii. p. 21. Sabine, app. p. 
659. Say. Long’s Expedition to the Rocky Moun- 
tains, i. p. 464. — Le Castor ou le Bievre, Briss. Regn. 
an. p. 133. — Le Castor , Buff. viii. pi. 36. — Philadelphia 
Museum. 
There is no animal, native of North America, so in- 
teresting and valuable as the Beaver; and it is equally 
certain, that few animals of the world have been so much 
admired and extolled, and, at the same time, have had so 
large a share of intelligence imputed to them more unjust- 
ly. But, with all the importance attached to the animal, 
how much ignorance exists of its true character. 
If we examine the opinions of men on this subject, we 
see at once how deeply wrong impressions have become 
rooted by pondering over the fictitious histories of the 
Beaver, — or more particularly being influenced, in early 
youth, by the fabulous stories of the animal, framed as 
truth, and admitted into the various seminaries of learn- 
ing. Here we find the Beaver placed at the head of all 
inferior creatures for sagacity and intelligence, and en- 
dowed with intellectual qualities superior to many nations 
or tribes of human beings. 
This undoubtedly is error, and to overturn it must be 
the work of time and truth, by the introduction, into 
schools and families, of authentic histories of the animal. 
It is, however, no trifling undertaking, to establish 
truth on prejudicial error, or attack the writings of the 
learned and eloquent, which have filled the world with 
theories or false statements, wrought up by ingenuity to 
almost sublimity. 
Among the modern writers on Natural History, none 
seems to have exerted so general an influence as the 
A 
“Count Buffon,” who appears to have been regarded, 
by most of his successors, as authority substantial and in- 
dubitable. Under these impressions, many writers have 
quoted his history of the Beaver, and transmitted it 
through successive years to the present time, with little 
contradiction. Among those who followed Buffon’s track, 
may be named Pennant, author of the British and Arctic 
Zoology, who, in the “history of his quadrupeds has 
transcribed the whole of his observations on the habits of 
the Beaver, from Buffon.” Smellie, also, in his Philoso- 
phy of Natural History, (a work now used in many 
schools both in England and America,) has quoted the 
same author verbatim. Among the opponents of the 
foregoing author, and indeed of most other writers on the 
subject of the Beaver, the most formidable is Hearne, 
whose testimony will be adduced in the sequel of this 
treatise, and Capt. G. Cartwright, in his journal of trans- 
actions, &c. on the Labrador coast, published in 1792. 
Dr. Godman, also, attacks the same with the following 
severe remarks: — “ Who has not heard of the wonderful 
sagacity of the Beaver, or listened to the laboured ac- 
counts of its social and rational nature ? Who that has 
read the impassioned eloquence of Buffon, to which nothing 
is wanting but truth in order to render it sublime, can 
forget the impression which his views of the economy and 
character of this species produced ? The enchanter waves 
his wand, and converts animals, congregated by instinct 
alone, and guided by no moral influence, into social, ra- 
tional, intelligent beings, superior to creatures high above 
them in organization, and even far more advanced than 
vast tribes of that race which has been justly and em- 
phatically termed ‘ lords of creation.’ Alas, for all these 
air-drawn prospects! while we endeavour to gaze upon 
their beauties, they fleet away, and leave no trace behind.” 
Many living witnesses can also be produced, whose evi- 
dence is derived from actual observation, against the 
falsity of those statements of the habits of the Beaver, 
which heretofore have only been regarded in the light of 
authenticity. 
