COMMON BEAVER. 
27 
In case they cannot pitch upon so commodi- 
ous a situation, they drive piles into the earth, in 
order to fence and fortify their habitation .against 
the wind as well as the water. They make two 
apertures, at the bottom, to the stream ; one is a 
passage to their bagnio, which they always keep 
neat and clean ; the other leads to that part of 
the building where every thing is conveyed, tha£ 
will either soil or damage their upper apart* 
ments. They have a third opening, or door-way, 
much higher, contrived for the prevention of their 
being shut up and confined, when the frost and 
snow has closed the apertures of the lower floors. 
Sometimes they build their houses altogether upon 
dryland; but then they sink trenches five or six 
f vet deep, in order to descend into the water when 
they see convenient. They make use of the same 
materials, and are equally industrious in the erec- 
tion of their lodges as their dikes. Their walls 
are perpendicular, and about two feet thick. As 
their teeth are more serviceable than saws, they 
cutoff* all the wood that projects beyond the wall. 
After this, when they have mixed up some clay 
and dry grass together, they work it into a kind of 
mortar, with which, by the help of their tails* 
they plaister all their works, both within and 
without. 
The inside is vaulted., and is large enough for the 
reception of eight or ten beavers. In case it rises 
in an oval figure, it is for the generality above 
twelve feet long, and eight or ten feet broad. If 
the number of inhabitants increase to fifteen, 
twenty, or thirty, the edifice is enlarged in pro- 
portion. We have been credibly informed, that 
four hundred beavers have been discovered to 
reside in one large mansion-house, divided into & 
vast number of apartments, that had a free com* 
munication one with aiiothcr. 
