but as a rule they begin to come out about 6 o'clock in the evening and return by 7 in the morning. Their houses are for the most part, rather poorly built; just a large pile of saplings 3 or 4 feet high and about 10 or 12 feet in diameter at the base. Several nests were well built and partially covered with mud. The beaver seems by nature to be a shy animal but is still an animal with considerable curiosity. By stealth we managed to get within 15 feet of one but up on the slightest movement he brought his tail down on the water making a noise like a small fire-cracker and went down with a splash before we could photograph him. On May 25th we again returned to the lakes. We arrived at the upper end of the big lake about 5 o'clock in the evening and made camp. After supper we went out in the canoe