Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-02
THE BEAVER AND ITS
CHARACTERISTICS
Danger of the Early Extinction of one
of the Famous Fur Hearing Animals.

| Tho announcement that a family OF
beaver has made It's appearance near
Auaalle makes of timely interest to poo
ole in this region the following descrlp.
ton OF tho animal.
Tho benver, scientifically known as Cas-.
tor Caradcns. is the largest of the fur.
bearing rodents. Perhaps no animal i'm
the world has been more widely utilized
! for as a protection from cold the usc a.
Its pelt dates to primitive man. The rar.
cs. peltase liz pure white fawn and brown
! sprinklcd with Silvcry hair. Less than a
score of such polts have been found i'm
| an expectation OF 10000 skins Black
beaver are more abundant. Generally tho
| color ranges from pale yellowish brown
to chestnut. Tho body measures from T.
inches to three and half feet In length
and the paddle-shaped tail. covered with
scale. is from nine to IL inches in length.
The external features of the beaver ar,
among its chief characteristics, beginning
, with It's wonderful teeth and ending with
It's perfectly unique tail The incsor
teeth are strong and we'll developed, and
are sCt in a circular soC.o, The sharp
teeth were used as cutting instrume hts
by the Indians, who also attach much
valuc to the white skins, converting them
into medicine bags
The heaver's head resembles that of a
rat though the nose is nattcr and makes
| ia" head appear shorter and broader
The eyes are dark blue and small In pro-
portion to the size of the animal They
are highly corveXcd. thus enabling the
animal to use them under water Tho
cars arc small, quite round. and concealed
IN the fur and hair. When the peltage Is
prime. shaggy, Loose growth Of long
hair covers the head and body to the
base Of the tail, diminishing on the lips,
"Nolids, feet and legs
Tho anterior feet are so dexterous a :
TO favor comparison with the hands of
he monkey. The creature uses them I'm
building the dam and the lodge ana for
oNcavatinE the burrow. They are also
used 10 convey tho food to the mouth In
n truly astonishing manner. Though the
front feet are not usually employed in
swimming, there is perceptinle web
Joining the third and fourth diglts which
does not seem fitted for any apparent pun
pose, unless il might be 10 facilitate the
handling of mud in the nlastering Of tn
lodges Or dams
The powerful hlnd feet. with the de-
vciopment Of WEB extending to the eA
trc,nc points. afford -hc ideal model for
aquatic life The large hecl-rad aul
strong nails enable the animal when o.,
land to stand upright firmly, position
generally assumed when at work. On
the second toe there Is a most remakabl"
douhl" claw or nail, which apparently is
only used for Combing the fur.
| TIL" gait Of the beaver is waddiing and
slow. owing to the shortness of its limbs
and t. the outward direction which Is
.,lven 10 its heels to enable its feet moro
efficiently TO fulfill the function of pad
dies in swimming. The toes alone of thu
anterior feet and the surface IF tho sol.
in the posterior are applied to the ground
| IN walking
| The awliwardn.ss of it's appearance I'm
this action is, moreover. heightened by The
| clumsiness Of It's figure and hy the diff
Guilty which 1t seems to experience in
dragging after 1t its cumbrous tail. gen.
orally trailing upon the ground, though
sometimes is slightly curved upward. ard
! Is occasionally moved in direction from
SID" to SIDE In tho water. however. thu
member hecomas highly useful. both a
n p'ddl' and ruddor, to urge 1t onward
! aII to direct it ~ it's course. \ matur..
/ beaver Weighs from 40 to 60 pounds and
I IFS life is fr-ru Is to % ears.
The animal prefers thn northern side
81 the stream for the advantage Of tho
| SIN, and, when possible. takes the BAN.
| Of an island rath r than that Of the main .
land. as 1t affords greater security from
attacks In -lis selection. however, It's
instinct Frequently nisleads ii, as il has
been known To build in situations where
u has been unable to procure food. and
"iefo 1t has consequently, persisted from
starvation.