Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-19
ALL ABOUT BEAVERS.
The Wonderful Ingenuity and Industry o.
These Interesting Creatures.

The Wonderful Ingenuity and Industry o.
These Interesting Creatures.
An idea prevails that the beaver
builds his dam for the purpose OF hay'
ing nice swimming-pond in the neigh
borhood of his residence, which is al
ways made in the rivers bank. This
is not true; for in every stream which
he inhabits, if this was his sole object
he could select many natural places
where the water is without ripple,
and it is both deep and broad.
The animal has a wiser object in
view, and it consists in providing
against the pinching wants of hunger
during winter, when nearly every
thing green has lost its sap and nutri.
ton, and is as body without blood
and animation. He therefore chooses
a place favorable for obtaining food,
and also where his labors will be as.
sisted by natural formations or acct
dents in the rivers course and con-
struction. Having pitched upon the
right section to build, he sets to work
with his fellows and fells giant trees.
In this he again exhibits his wonder
full instinct; for while one party is cut
ting with their sharp teeth the hard
wood of one side of the tree, another
division is actively engaged on the
other side, never forgetting to make,
| like unto the woodmen, the lowest in
| cision on the side the tree is to fall.
! which, to suit their purposes, is always
directly into and across the stream.
When tree is thus fallen, it is at
tackled in its branches, which are so
turned and woven together in the out
lines of the dam as to catch in their
meshes any floating material, or receive
the tail-loads of soil and rubbish which
they carry to it. Another and another
tree are then Systematically fallen, and
arranged as is the first, until the work
is finished as completely as if it had
been planned and executed by a rea-
soning mind.
The finishing stroke is the transport
ing of the mud and laying it. In this
labor they show themselves to be ex-
cellent masons. They now act in con-
cert. A large gang marches in line to
the bank, where they load each others
tails, and swim with their cargoes
elevated above and free from the water.
When they arrive at an unfinished point
of the dam, they dump the mud, and
mold it in place, Their houses they
have previously built in the river
banks. These consist of holes which
lead into large and airy subterranean
rooms, and which are above the water
mark. In these houses they are said
to sleep and live in pairs; and, If we
could believe the story of old trappers,
they initiate human beings in managing
their household and in keeping house.
The main object they have in staying
the progress of the current of the river
is to afford a deep place, where, having
fallen numbers of trees, the deep water
will preserve tender and fresh the
limbs and shrubs on which to Subsist
during not only time present, but also
time to come. 1t is well known that
fresh branches of trees and young will
lows, when placed in water, will keep
up partial life for a considerable length
of time. On this principle the beaver
acts in submerging his food deep in the
water, where it will retain its verdure,
Ind where the freezing process that is
going on at the surface OF the river will
not bar his efforts in getting at his
store of provisions during the winter
season.
1t is said that the beaver goes so far
as to bundle up small branches of trees
and willows, which they stow away in
the muddy bottom of the river. The
trapper, in his wondrous yarns, insists
that there are grades of society among
beavers, the same as among men, and
he will have it that they have their
"head chiefs;n that often individuals
among them have slaves who stand
ready to do their masters bidding at
moments warning; for instance, to
bring them bundle of green twigs on
which to feast. According to their
imaginative stories the life of beaver
can not be rivaled in happiness; and if
we could put full credence in their de-
scription of the pastimes of the ami
NAL, his palace and luxuries, we could
only compare the beaver to citizen
of Venice in her most palmy days
the difference between the two being
that the former enjoyed himself more
in the water than the latter did in his
favorite gondola.-Golden Days.