ide, and perfectly circular and dome-shaped. The walls and
roofs of these lodges, as they are called, are several feet in
thickness, so that the measurement of the interior chamber is little
more than half that of the exterior. Several beavers inhabit a large
lodge. Their beds, which are separated one from the other, are arranged
round the walls, a space in the centre being left free. The exterior
also presents a very rough appearance, consisting of sticks apparently
thrown loosely together, and entirely denuded of their bark, as also of
branches of trees and bushes closely interwoven and mixed with stones,
gravel, or mud. They are close to the banks, almost overlapping the
water, into which the front part is immersed. The bottom of the stream
or lake is invariably deepened in the channel approaching the entrance,
thus ensuring a free passage below the ice into the structure. The
tunnel is from two to three feet long. In the inner part of the hut the
materials are laid with greater care, and more firmly bound together--
with mud and grass--than on the outer. Even in one of the larger houses
the chamber--for there is but one--is only between two and three feet in
height, though as much as nine feet in diameter. It slopes gently
upwards from the water. Inside there are two levels: the lower one may
be called the hall. On this the animals shake themselves when they
emerge from the subaqueous tunnel; and when dry, clamber up to the upper
story, which consists of an elevated bed of boughs running round the
back of the chamber. It is thickly covered with dry grass and thin
shavings of wood. The whole of the interior is smooth, the ends of the
timbers and brushwood which project inwards being evenly gnawed off.
There are always two entrances--the one serving for summer, and letting
in the light; while another sinks down at a deeper angle, to enable the
owners during winter to get below the water. Beavers are especially
clean animals, and allow no rubbish to remain in their abode; and as
soon as they have nibbled off the bark from the sticks, they carry them
outside, and place them on the roof of their hut, to increase its
thickness, or let them float down the stream.

During the summer they are employed all day in ranging the banks and
cutting provisions for their winter consumption, all their architectural
occupations being carried on at night. Their winter stock of food
consists of short lengths of willow and