Washington sentinel., 1898-01-08

berseded by that OF six, there
DStSfittle doubt that the beaver, both
the Old World and in America,
ould by this time been numbered
nong extinct animals. AS tits,
k creature has but hard time of
at the best, tor although there is
10 longer a demand for its hair by
pc hat manufacturer, yet beaver
pr is an article highly valued by
ne furrier, and equally highly es-
eemed by the fair sex. Although
MA few survive in the Rhone and
Rhine, while more numerous col.
onieS are found in parts OF Russia,
the beaver has been practically
swept away from most European
countries, though place names
frequently bear testimony to its
former presence. Among the
countries where it still maintains a
foothold is Norway, but Of late
years little Information has been
forthcoming as to the approximate
number of beavers IN the country,
or their mode Of life,
The Norwegian beaver began to
decrease in numbers from the early
part or middle of last century, and
by 1900 had disappeared from most
parts of the country, with the eX-
ception of the northern districts of
: Finmark and Nordland, and the
southern province of Nedenas, or
Christiansand. The work of e5x-
termination went on more or less
rapidly till the year IS45, when it
was somewhat checked by the en-.
actment of protective statutes; but
either these could not have worked
very ef1ecCuallY, or the war Of ex-
termination had been only too we'll
carried out, for in $50 the number
Of individuals surviving through
out the country was estimated at
only about three score. Three
years later the number Of head
was put down roughly at a hun
dred, and since that date it is
probable that the number has been
fully maintained, il. indeed, il has
not actually increased.
The statutes which have been
enacted for the preservation OF the
beaver in Norway are not, for the
most part, Of a very effectual ma
ture. and have decidedly feudatory
smack. The statute Of I84s pro-
vided that no beaver at all should
be killed for tea years, and then
only by the proprietors Of the es-
SaSes On which they are found.
This was admirable as far as it
went, but as from the beginning OF
TS56pToprietoTs were again allowed
20 kill, without either restric-
ton as to time or number, it is OBJ
vious that the good results OF the
hrst enactment might very we'll
have been speedily lost. Probably
this was found to be the case, as in
1863 a fresh statute was pro-
pounded, establishing a close time
and fixing a Limitation in number.
According to this statute, beaver
were only allowed to be killed
during the months~A August,
September and October, and then
only by owners of estates, who
were permitted to kill but one in
dividual annually to each separate
estate. Two much more effectual
statutes have, however, recently
come into operation: the one dated
IL 1894, protecting all
A KEahe Amt Of Sondre
&W VI ssI and of 1904, and
4 " ember 8, 1895,
4 N " the colony of
bi 1905. The
\ "a killing beaver
v V " Tonors (about
AFticipators in the offence.
Ws are the first refugees
formed by the beaver when taking
possession OF fresh spot, and they
may accordingly be iikened 10 the
rude sheds erected by workmen
employed on building a mansion.
Probably each lodge is tenanted
only by single couple and their
young family; the young beavers,
when able to do without parental
assistance, either settling down
temporarily IN burrows in the i'm
mediate neighborhood, or wander
, away to form neW colonies. Small
4 lodges constructed in a kind Of
Merry building fashion appear to be
yum up by bachelor beavers Who
yA2ave not yet ventured to take upon
themselves the responsibilities Of a
wife and family. There may, how
ever, be also spinster beavers to
whom such accommodation is
also necessary-it is to be hoped
only temporarily. Dams are con-
structed where beavers have quar-
tered themselves by the sides Of
gently flowing streamlets, or small
posts through which a current
runs, in order to obtain water of
sufficient depth and maintaining a
constant level. The "bund" is
substantially built and difficult to
demolish. One examined in 1895
was constructed at the outflow Of
a small stream through a forest
marsh; and where there was form
erly bot small shallow pool, a
pond or lake Of some hundred
yards in diameter soon resulted
from the laboTs OF these indefatig-
able rodents. The ''bund," which
was about fifteen feet in length,
with a cross section of some two
feet, was entirely made in the
course of three weeks during the
summer Of 1890. In Canada, when
the dam is sufficiently stout, the
IA =