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Beaver. A quadruped of the order Rodentia, or gnawers, the only species of its genus. It is very widely distributed, being found in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America, nowadays most abundantly in the northern and thinly peopled parts of North America, dwellmg in communities on the banks of rivers and ponds in forested regions. At one time immense numbers of these animals were killed for their fur, which was largely used in making hats. The beaver is about two feet in length from the nose to the root of the tail; its body is thick and heavy, large specimens weighing over forty pounds; the head compressed, and somewhat arched at the front, the upper part rather narrow; the snout obtuse. The eyes are placed rather high in the head, and the pupils are rounded; the ears are short, elliptical, and almost concealed by the fur. The skin is covered by two sorts of hair, of which one is long, rather stiff, elastic, and of a gray color for two-thirds of its length next the base, and terminated by shining, reddish-brown points; the other is short, thick, tufted, and soft, being of different shades of silver-gray or light lead color. The hair is shortest on the head and feet. The hind legs are longer than the fore, and are completely webbed. The tail is ten or eleven inches long, flattened horizontally, and, except the part nearest the body, is covered with hexagonal scales.

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