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M A M M A L S O F N O R T H E R N C A N A D A 253
lar bark, green willows, birch, and other deciduous leaves.
The male assists in providing food for the young i n the
earlier stage of their existence. When necessary, this intelligent
animal erects new, and always renovates old, lodges and
dams i n the autumn. One or two kindred families frequently
live together, and their progeny continue for upward of two
years with their parents, after which they are usually expected
to mate and provide for themselves. The males often
fight fiercely during the rutting season. It is not an uncommon
experience for hunters to find one or more beavers dead
of disease i n their houses or " washes."' Such animals are
seldom other than i n good condition, but the Indians will
not eat the meat except they be verging on starvation. In
this connection. M r . G . Deschambeault writes that " when
beaver are found dead i n their ' wash ' they are generally
( mouth and nostrils) infested by numerous small white
worms. Low water also causes the death of beaver some
winters i n their lodges."' Some old veteran males become
very large and heavy. The flesh of the beaver, except when
verv lean, is verv palatable and easy of digestion, and is
much relished by the natives and northern resident whites
who have partaken thereof.
I f let alone, or not much disturbed by hunting, the beaver
w i l l rapidly increase i n numbers. In proof of this statement,
I would mention that many extensive tracts of country in
which they had become scarce or had wholly or almost
entirely disappeared ( as a result of the keen and very costly
rivalry in trade which had for many years existed between
the North- West Company of Montreal and the Hudson's
B a y Company of England, previous to their coalition in
1821, it was uncertain for some time " which of them lost
most money— neither of them gained money,'' while the
general demoralization of Indians and whites was very
lamentable) they afterwards recovered under the fostering
policy of protection promptly inaugurated and intelligently
pursued by the now united F u r Trading and Governing Cor-
Object Description
Description
| Title | Page 277 |
| OCR | M A M M A L S O F N O R T H E R N C A N A D A 253 lar bark, green willows, birch, and other deciduous leaves. The male assists in providing food for the young i n the earlier stage of their existence. When necessary, this intelligent animal erects new, and always renovates old, lodges and dams i n the autumn. One or two kindred families frequently live together, and their progeny continue for upward of two years with their parents, after which they are usually expected to mate and provide for themselves. The males often fight fiercely during the rutting season. It is not an uncommon experience for hunters to find one or more beavers dead of disease i n their houses or " washes."' Such animals are seldom other than i n good condition, but the Indians will not eat the meat except they be verging on starvation. In this connection. M r . G . Deschambeault writes that " when beaver are found dead i n their ' wash ' they are generally ( mouth and nostrils) infested by numerous small white worms. Low water also causes the death of beaver some winters i n their lodges."' Some old veteran males become very large and heavy. The flesh of the beaver, except when verv lean, is verv palatable and easy of digestion, and is much relished by the natives and northern resident whites who have partaken thereof. I f let alone, or not much disturbed by hunting, the beaver w i l l rapidly increase i n numbers. In proof of this statement, I would mention that many extensive tracts of country in which they had become scarce or had wholly or almost entirely disappeared ( as a result of the keen and very costly rivalry in trade which had for many years existed between the North- West Company of Montreal and the Hudson's B a y Company of England, previous to their coalition in 1821, it was uncertain for some time " which of them lost most money— neither of them gained money,'' while the general demoralization of Indians and whites was very lamentable) they afterwards recovered under the fostering policy of protection promptly inaugurated and intelligently pursued by the now united F u r Trading and Governing Cor- |
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