Eode N Ti A. M AIMM AL I A. Bodenti A. 
cottonwood, poplar, etc. In the smnnier it eats the 
roots of the poiul-lily and otlier plants that grow in 
the water-side. As Beavers do not hibernate, they 
are compelled to provide a store of provisions for the 
winter, during which their ponds are frozen over, 
when they are shut in and unable to pass out to pro- 
cure food. In the month of September they com- 
mence preparing for the cold season. They repair 
their dams, and cut down trees to prepare their 
“chips” for future eating. All this work is per- 
formed at night. Observers have failed to get sight 
of them while engaged, although they have been 
seen at early morning in some few instances. The 
wood-cuttings which they prepare are deposited by 
some unknown process upon the bottom, “ how, is a 
question;” says Mr. Morgan, “the yellow birch is 
about the same specific gravity of water.” It is 
probable that when soaked the wood remains im- 
mersed. When the animal is frozen in, it is essen- 
tial to his comfort that he have free access to his 
tcood-pile, or store of provisions, which are deposited 
near the lodge, but upon the bottom of the pond. 
Now “when they leave their normal mode of life in 
the banks of rivers, and undertake to live in depend- 
ence upon artificial ponds of their own formation, 
they are compelled to forecast the consequences of 
their acts at the peril of their lives.” They have, 
therefore, to build their dams sufficiently high so as to 
secure a depth of water that will not entirely freeze : 
there should be space left for unobstructed passage 
to and from the “ commissary.” It will readily be 
asked: How will this condition be sustained in the 
extreme cold regions, where a considerable depth of 
water freezes? One cause will be seen in the heavy 
body of snow that usually covers the ice-bound ponds 
of these regions; yet that quite shallow ponds re- 
main open is well known, and trappers assert that 
over the Beaver-cuttings that have been deposited 
for winter use, the ice is usually thin. 'I'he ponds 
are rarely over six feet deep. Some local cause may 
affect the temperature of ponds, and of this the 
“ astute ” creature may have cognizance. A remark- 
able act of intelligence is now to be considered, 
which follows upon the necessities incident to the 
“chopping” and storing the “wood-cuttings,” which 
are the preferred subsistence of the Beaver. Mr. 
Morgan gives a detailed and most interesting account 
of the discovery of a system of canals, whereby the 
Beaver is enabled to convey materials for food a 
considerable distance by water, thus facilitating 
a tedious and, in many instances, nearly impracti- 
cable process of gathering a winter’s store. In some 
eases the dam accomplishes the requisite purpose, as 
well as to furnish sufficient water for concealment of 
the burrows and openings to the lodges. It causes 
the water to flow back in such volume as to bring 
large deciduous (and desirable) trees within reach by 
water, or so near that the “cuttings” may be rolled 
into it with little labor. Sometimes the coveted 
woodland is removed too far from the water for 
this purpose ; in this event, a canal is cut to the 
nearest point, and in such dimensions as to admit of 
the conveyance of the cuttings and logs by water 
direct to the lodge. In one instance, one of these 
canals had several dams constructed across it for the 
purpose of flooding a still larger surface. 'I’his canal 
was 449 feet in length, and about three feet in 
width and two and a half in depth, and was cut 
entirely by the Beavers; the bottom revealing great 
numbers of roots, some very large, which had been cut 
across in the progress of the work. In some cases 
the canal was carried around the foot of the rising 
ground in two branches, thus securing a frontage of 
greater extent. Here was a necessity : no wood 
suitable for their purpose, either for building or for 
food, could be obtained easily. The ground was 
surveyed, we may safely assume, and a simple solu- 
tion of the matter was accomplished. Just such a 
channel as we should expect was cut, up to the 
nearest point that water would flow to, and then the 
work was carried on in proportion to their wants. 
Trees were felled and cut in pieces, and rolled down 
the hill into the channel ; once there, it was an easy 
matter to push the logs before them, as is their 
custom, swiiiuning with them to the place of deposit. 
It is said that they hug the pieces, when not too 
large, to their chest, and, as they do not ever swim 
with the fore-paws, they easily progress with the 
loads. On land, these loads would be nearly out of 
their power to manage. 'I'he nearest point, in the 
above example, where the proper wood could be ob- 
tained was five hundred feet. Mr. Morgan has con- 
tributed most valuable specimens of the work ol 
Beavers, as well as a vast amount of interesting 
knowledge that had not previously been known as 
reliable. He has preserved and sent to the Ameri- 
can Museum, in Central Park, N. Y., two trunks of 
trees which show the work of Beavers. One is a 
yellow birch from Lake Flora, near Lake Superior, 
which measures thirteen and a half inches in diame- 
ter. 'I’his is cut so nearly in two that the tree had 
fallen by its weight to one side, this side being much 
more cut than the other. 'I’he slender portion re- 
maining is broken in splinters, and would probably 
have soon yielded to the sharp incisoi's of the ani- 
mal, had it not been taken away. Another tree, of 
the same dimensions, shows an even gnawing about 
half through the diameter. A fine specimen of 
Beaver, with small cuttings of the size usually se- 
cured for eating, is in the collection, from the same 
source. 
We have given considerable space to this one 
species of Rodent, but the subject is one of exceed- 
ing interest. 'I'he marvelous execution of certain 
devices strike us as something beyond any other 
example. Although we meet at every hand most 
wondrous developments, we have the more willingly 
enlarged upon this theme for the purpose of giving 
what is now known to be the truth concerning this 
animal. As in the case of many another living- 
creature, absurd errors have been perpetuated in 
books of Natural History. Old stories from the 
classical writers, as well as of those more recent, 
have come to us from the various publications of the 
day. In the present account there is enough of the 
marvelous, and yet it is truth. 'I’he stories of 
