purpose, and, indeed, as the walls they raise seem to have been smoothed
by some implement, I see no reason to disbelieve the story."

"And what do the beavers make dams with, nurse?"

"With small trees cut into pieces, and drawn in close to each other; and
then the beavers fill the spaces between with sods, and stones, and clay,
and all sorts of things that they gather together and work up into a solid
wall. The walls are made broad at the bottom, and are several feet in
thickness, to make them strong enough to keep the water from washing
through them. The beavers assemble together in the fall, about the months
of October and November, to build their houses and repair their dams. They
prefer running water, as it is less likely to freeze. They work in large
parties, sometimes fifty or a hundred together, and do a great deal in a
short time. They work during the night."

"Of what use is the dam, nurse?"

"The dam is for the purpose of securing a constant supply of water, without
which they could not live. When they have enclosed the beaver-pond, they
separate into family parties of eleven [Transcriber's Note: Lengthy
footnote moved to end of chapter] or twelve, perhaps more, sometimes less,
and construct dwellings, which are raised against the inner walls of the
dam. These little huts have two chambers, one in which they sleep, which is
warm and soft and dry, lined with roots and sedges and dry grass, and any
odds and ends that serve their purpose. The feeding place is below; in this
is stored the wood or the bark on which they feed. The entrance to this is
under water, and hidden from sight; but it is there that the cunning hunter
sets his trap to catch the unsuspecting beavers."