THE BEAVER. 
211 
it swims so far under water as not to 
^Xcite the least suspicion of its presence. On 
^'lany parts of the Mississipi and Missouri, 
Miere the beaver formerly built houses ac- 
'^ording to the mode above described, no such 
Tories are now to be found, though beavers 
still to be trapped in those parts. 
These animals have also excavations in the 
adjacent banks, at rather regular distances 
each other, which have been called 
hashes. These excavations are so enlarged 
'''ithin, that the beaver can raise his head 
^bove water in order to breathe without being 
f^en ; and, when disturbed at their huts, they 
•^mediately make their way under water to 
their washes. 
Beavers feed chiefly on the bark of the 
^‘^pen, willow, birch, poplar, and occasion- 
^hy the alder, but rarely resort to the pine- 
^ibe unless in cases of great emergency. 
t-*uring the summer season they collect a 
