The beaver is a good-sized animal, being two and a half feet long exclusive of the tail, which is one foot more.  It is of a deep chestnut colour; the hair very fine, smooth, and glossy.  The Indians use its incisor teeth, which are very large and hard, to cut the bone or horn with which they tip their spears.  It is a rodent, or gnawing animal. It has a broad, horizontal, flattened tail, nearly of an oval form, which is covered with scales.  The hind feet are webbed, and, with the aid of the tail, which acts as a rudder, enable it to swim through the water with ease and rapidity.  Except in one respect, I do not know that it can be considered a sagacious animal; but it is a marvellous engineer, its faculties being employed in building houses, and in forming dams for the protection of its village.