New-York tribune., 1868-03-27


had incorporated within it the trunk OF fallen tree
and in that case the nse of II was evidently matter
of accident.
Altbouph there Is no ground for the popular behef
that heavers live in organized communities they arc
eninertlv social In their habits This trait is exhD
tied in their propensity TO pair, and establish family
relations II is still further illustrated by their con-
strnction of DAMS lodges, burrows and canals, 1or
common family purposes and by providing store OF
subsistence for Winter use. beaver family consists
of male and female and their offspring under two
wears old The mothers bring forth from two to fye
at n time in the month of May and nurse them Tor
few weeks when they left to subsist on the bark
of trees and shrubs. They attain their tull growth
at two years and half and according to the lndiah
authority live from twelve to fifteen years Inc CRY
of young beaver is so much like that OF cmld
few days old that the most experienced rappers are
often deceived by the resemblance. When the n'Ver
attain the aGe Of two years. they are sent out iom
the narent lodge, t3 seek mates and estashsp laes
for themselves A faucful notion prevails among the
Indians that if Young beavers thus sent ont fail 10
pair they are algye9 tg ystass the parent looee
and remain until the ensuing summer; put do q H'i
of parental ldisapprobaton for their want OF gaanY
they are made to do the work OF repairing the da'
If they fail to mate in the ensuing Summer,
they are not allowed to return second time' ana
henceforth become outcast beavers Beavers migrate
from place TO place moro less every season Inc
Indians affirm that in their local migratons the old
beavers 20 up stream and the young 90 down, since
greater advantages are afforded in the struggle Tor
existence near the source than lower down ON the
stream which the older beavers wisely appropriate
to themselves.
The beaver requires special organic adaptations for
his aauatic life He can suspend respiration for sew
eral minutes while swimming under water ana az
the same time exert his full physical strength ms
heart and lungs are small and his respiration MOD
crate But the blood must circulate while respiration
is suspended and hence there are independent vessels
near the heart where it accumulates until respiration
is resumed. If this blood were thrown upon the
lungs while their functions were suspended u wohd
produce suffocation The body of the beaver Is
nearly balanced on his hip joints. With these points
as fulcrums by of his hind legs, feet and tal
he has full command of bis bodily motions, without
depending ON his fore feet His paws are thus iber-
ated enabling him to take up earth and stones and
TO carry them short distances, while walking on his
hind feet The possibility of his architectural skill
is thus found in his structural organization.
The disposition to buITow which is q characteristic
of the beaver leads him to excavate chambers under
ground and construct artificial lodges on the surface
The lodge is but a burrow above ground covered with
an artificial roof 1t possesses some special adva-
tages for rearing the young and possibly the bur-
row may have been the original residence OF the
beaver while the lodge grew ont of it, IN the pro-
gress of experience the principle of natural seec
tiOn.
The nutriment Of the beaver is drawn exclusively
from the vegetable kingdom. lie subsiss principally
on the bark of deciduous trees preferrng the willow
poplar cotton wood and yellow birch. He also eats
the bark of the maple, walnut and white ash. with
various kinds of roots as those of the pond lily, and
of the coarse grasses that grow III the margins OF
their ponds. Late in the Winter, they eat clear
wood and such roots as they can reach from their
burrows or find in their banks. In the Summer, they
rarely cut large trees but live upon the bark of the
smaller ones upon willow and raspberry bushes, and
various roots.
The teeth of the beaver sharp and powerful
like chisels in form and structure. From the age of
eighteen months to that of two three years they
are in the best condition for cutting After this, as
the animals grow older their teeth are fled down
with constant use. The loss of power great that
very old beavers are often unable to provide sufficient
food for their sustenance during the Winter and thus
become poor and feeble. Such beavers often
found dead with gashes in their bodies having been
killed by other beavers the Indians say for stealing
cuttings There is no evidence that the beaver
attacks or feeds upon fish. When domesticated he
will eat some kinds Of animal food, but he prefers
farinaceous substances and has q special fancy for
sugar The flesh of the beaver is not very good eat
ing though it Is used in the forms as the flesh
of other animals The TAIL which is composed chiefly
of dense, fatty tissues, is considered delicacy.
We have been able TO present but small portion
of the interesting details concerning the habits OF the
beaver which make this volume one Of the most
valuable contributions 10 the science Of natural his
tory that has ever been issued from the American
press Our readers who have taste for the study Of
nature will find a singuary agreeable guide to this
branch Of the subject in the present work. The au-
thor is thoroughly acquainted with the field that lie
undertakes to illustrate; the information which
he imparts is ample and complete his volume
is so crowded with novelties, as TO give q
new aspect to favorite department Of zoology;
and his style is not only vigorous and clear but often
shows an attractive terscness and even elegance.
The speculations with regard to animal psychology
with which he closes the volume curious and in
some respects suggestive but in their theoretical
character present a singular contrast TO the rigid
matteroffact expositions in the body Of the work.
Mr.. Morgan contends that the higher orders Of ami
mails possess mental principle which manifess quail
tiles essentially the same as those displayed in the
human mind differing from them in degree, but not
in kind. He supports this thesis with q certain in
genuity and, in fact adduces striking instances
in its behalf; bat our knowledge of the mutual re-
latiOns Of mind and matter is at present so limited
OF we might say in such chaotic state that all con-
illusions on the subject must be regarded as merely
provisional.
l. MILE