Original - North Central Michigan College Library

the dangers of a long winter. Our lodge wasfifteen miles above the mouth of the stream.The principal animals which the countryafforded were the stag, or red deer, the commonAmerican deer, the bear, raccoon, beaver,and marten.The beaver feeds in preference on youngwood of the birch, aspen, and poplar tree: 61but in defect of these, on any other tree, thoseof the pine and fir kinds excepted. These latteritemploys only for building its dams andhouses. In wide meadows where no wood is tobe found it resorts for all its purposes to theroots of the rush and water lily. It consumesgreat quantities of food, whether of roots orwood; and hence often reduces itself to thenecessity of removing into a new quarter. Itshouse has an arched dome-like roof, of anelliptical figure, and rises from three to fourfeet above the surface of the water. It isalways entirely surrounded by water; but inthe banks adjacent the animal provides holesor washes, of which the entrance is belowthe surface, and to which it retreats on thefirst alarm.The female beaver usually produces twoyoung at a time, but not infrequently more.During the first year the young remain withtheir parents. In the second, they occupy anadjoining apartment and assist in building andn Popuhts nigra, called by the Canadians, Hard.Author.126