There is but one species of this animal, which is found in the
temperate regions of both continents. It spends a great part of its
time in the water, where it constructs dams and builds huts of the
branches of trees. It gnaws these asunder with wonderful dexterity,
frequently cutting off a branch, the size of a walking-stick, with one
effort. They live in families composed of from two to ten.
_A tame Beaver._--Major Roderfort, of New York, had a tame beaver,
which he kept in his house upwards of half a year, and allowed to run
about like a dog. The cat belonging to the house had kittens, and she
took possession of the beaver's bed, which he did not attempt to
prevent. When the cat went out, the beaver would take one of the
kittens between his paws, and hold it close to his breast to warm it,
and treated it with much affection. Whenever the cat returned, he
restored her the kitten.
_Affection of the Beaver._--Two young beavers were taken alive some
years ago, and carried to a factory near Hudson's Bay, where they grew
very fast. One of them being accidentally killed, the survivor began to
moan, abstained from food, and finally died in grief for the loss of
its companion.
_A tame Beaver in the Zoological Gardens of London._--"This animal
arrived in England, in the winter of 1825, very young, being small and
woolly, and without the covering of long hair which marks the adult
beaver. It was the sole survivor of five or six, which were shipped at
the same time, and was in a very pitiable condition. Good treatment
soon made it familiar. When called by its name, 'Binny,' it generally
answered with a little cry, and came to its owner. The hearth-rug was
its favorite haunt, upon which it would lie stretched out, sometimes on
its back, and sometimes flat on its belly, but always near its master.
The building instinct showed itself immediately after it was let out of
its cage, and materials were placed in its way,--and this before it had
been a week in its new quarters. Its strength, even before it was half
grown, was great. It would drag along a large sweeping-brush, or a
warming-pan, grasping the handle with its teeth, so that the load came
over its shoulder; it then advanced in an oblique direction, till it
arrived at the point where it wished to place it. The long and large
materials were always taken first; two of the longest were generally
laid crosswise, with one of the ends of each touching the wall, and the
other ends projecting out into the room. The area formed by the crossed
brushes and the wall, he would fill up with hand-brushes, rush-baskets,
books, boots, sticks, cloths, dried turf, or any thing portable. As the
work grew high, he supported himself on his tail, which propped him up
admirably; and he would often, after laying on one of his building
materials, sit up over against it, apparently to consider his work, or,
as the country people say, 'judge it.' This pause was sometimes
followed by changing the position of the material 'judged,' and
sometimes it was left in its place.
"After he had piled up his materials in one part of the room,--for he
generally chose the same place,--he proceeded to wall up the space
between the feet of a chest of drawers, which stood at a little
distance from it, high enough on its legs to make the bottom a roof for
him, using for this purpose dried turf and sticks, which he laid very
even, and filling up the interstices with bits of coal, hay, cloth, or
any thing he could pick up. This last place he seemed to appropriate
for his dwelling; the former work seemed to be intended for a dam. When
he had walled up the space between the feet of the chest of drawers, he
proceeded to carry in sticks, clothes, hay, cotton, and to make a nest;
and, when he had done, he would sit up under the drawers, and comb
himself with the nails of his hind-feet. In this operation, that which
appeared at first to be a malformation was shown to be a beautiful
adaptation to the necessities of the animal. The huge webbed hind-feet
often turn in, so as to give the appearance of deformities; but, if the
toes were straight, instead of being incurved, the animal could not use
them for the purpose of keeping its fur in order, and cleansing it from
dirt and moisture. Binny generally carried small and light articles
between his right fore-leg and his chin, walking on the other three
legs; and large masses, which he could not grasp readily with his
teeth, he pushed forwards, leaning against them with his right fore-paw
and his chin. He never carried any thing on his tail, which he liked to
dip in water, but he was not fond of plunging in his whole body. If his
tail was kept moist, he never cared to drink; but if it was kept dry,
it became hot, and the animal appeared distressed, and would drink a
great deal. It is not impossible that the tail may have the power of
absorbing water, like the skin of frogs; though it must be owned that
the scaly integument which invests that member has not much of the
character which generally belongs to absorbing surfaces. Bread, and
bread and milk, and sugar, formed the principal part of Binny's food;
but he was very fond of succulent fruits and roots. He was a most
entertaining creature; and some highly comic scenes occurred between
the worthy, but slow, beaver, and a light and airy macauco, that was
kept in the same apartment."