THE BEAVER. 203 
for their size and strength, which enable 
to gnaw down trees of considerable mag- 
*^itude with incredible facility. 
The extraordinary instincts of the beaver, 
its natural state, have furnished one of the 
'^ost attractive subjects of Natural History ; 
^^t it is now certain that much that is false 
^’^d exaggerated has found its way into the de- 
^'^I’iptions of the habits of this animal. This 
^^aggeration may be referred to unavoidable 
^^Uses. The species are extremely timid and 
Vigilant, and invariably labour in the night- 
; hence few persons competent to observe 
*'^ieni accurately have had opportunity of doing 
Our information on this subject is chiefly 
'^^rived from the fur-traders and Indians ; ig- 
*^oi’ant and credulous men, deceiving them- 
*®lves and deceiving others. The account of 
animal recently given by Dr. Godman, 
^''ofessor of Natural History in the Franklin 
^'^stitute of Pennsylvania, in the second volume 
