binny’s DAM-BUIRDING. 
161 
Binny’s Dam-building. 
rfavfs from thf notf-book of a naturarist. 
A beaver arrived in this country in the winter of 1825, 
very young; being small and woolly, and without the cov¬ 
ering of long hair that marks the adult animal. It was the 
sole survivor of five or six which were shipped at the same 
time, and it was in a very pitiable condition, lean, and with 
the coat all clogged with pitch and tar. Good treatment 
quickly restored it to health; it grew apace, plumped out, 
and the fur became clean and in good condition. Kind¬ 
ness soon made it familiar. When called by its name, 
“Binny,” it generally answered with a little, low, plaintive 
cry, and came to its owner. The hearth-rug was a favor¬ 
ite haunt in a winter evening, and thereon it would lie 
stretched out at its length, sometimes on its back/some¬ 
times on its side, and sometimes on its belly, expanding its 
webbed toes to secure the full action of a comfortable fire 
on them, but always near its master. 
The building instinct showed itself early. Before it had 
been a week in its new quarters, as soon as it was let out 
of its cage, and materials were placed in its way, it immed¬ 
iately went to work. Its strength, even before it was half 
grown, was great. It would drag along a large sweeping 
brush, or a warming pan, grasping the handle with its teeth, 
so that it came over its shoulder, and advancing with the 
load in an oblique direction, till it arrived at the point where 
it wished to place it. The long and large materials were 
always taken first, and two of the longest were generally 
laid crosswise, with one of the ends each touching the wall, 
and the other ends projecting out into the room. The area 
formed by the crossed brushes and the wall he would fill 
up with hand-brushes; rush-baskets, books, boots, sticks, 
clothes, dried turf, or anything portable. As the work 
grew high he supported himself on his tail, which propped 
him up admirably; and he would often, after laying on one 
of his building materials, sit up over against it, appearing 
to consider his work, or, as the country-people say, “judge 
it.” This pause was sometimes followed by changing the 
position of the material “judged,” and sometimes it was 
left in its place. After he had piled tfp his materials in 
