Page:Natural History (1848).djvu/226

216. divided into regular scales, resembling those of fishes.

The Beaver (Castor fiber, Linn.) is found both in Europe and North America: and, as late as the twelfth century, was an inhabitant of Great Britain. On the continent of Europe it has be- come scarce, but in the northern parts of Ame- rica it is still numerous, though immense numbers are killed annually for their skins. Formerly from 100,000 to 200,000 beaver skins were im-

THE BEAVER.

ported yearly into Europe, but the present amount is much diminished.

The most interesting point in the history of this animal, as has been already mentioned, is its