Stories about the Instinct of Animals, Their Characters, and Habits | Page 8

intended for a dam. When he had walled up the space between the feet
of the chest of drawers, he proceeded to carry in sticks, cloths, hay,
cotton, and to make a nest; and, when he had done, he would sit up
under the drawers, and comb himself with the nails of his hind feet. In
this operation, that which appeared at first to be a malformation, was
shown to be a beautiful adaptation to the necessities of the animal. The
huge webbed hind feet often turn in, so as to give the appearance of
deformities; but if the toes were straight, instead of being incurved, the
animal could not use them for the purpose of keeping its fur in order,
and cleansing it from dirt and moisture.
"Binny generally carried small and light articles between his right fore

leg and his chin, walking on the other three legs; and large masses,
which he could not grasp readily with his teeth, he pushed forwards,
leaning against them with his right fore paw and his chin. He never
carried anything on his tail, which he liked to dip in water, but he was
not fond of plunging in his whole body. If his tail was kept moist, he
never cared to drink, but, if it was kept dry, it became hot, and the
animal appeared distressed, and would drink a great deal. It is not
impossible that the tail may have the power of absorbing water, like the
skin of frogs, though it must be owned that the scaly integument which
invests that member has not much of the character which generally
belongs to absorbing surfaces.
"Bread, and bread and milk, and sugar, formed the principal part of
Binny's food; but he was very fond of succulent fruits and roots. He
was a most entertaining creature; and some highly comic scenes
occurred between the worthy, but slow beaver, and a light and airy
macauco, that was kept in the same apartment."
"I think I have read, Uncle, that beavers use their tails as trowels to
plaster their houses, and as sledges to carry the materials to build huts."
"I dare say, you have, Frank; but I believe such stories are mere fables,
told by the ignorant to excite wonder in the minds of the credulous. No
such operations have been observed by the most accurate observers of
the animal's habits. The wonderful instinct which they display in
building their houses is quite sufficient to excite our admiration,
without having recourse to false and exaggerated statements."
"The building instinct of the beaver is very curious, Uncle Thomas. Is it
displayed by any other animal?"
"All animals exhibit it more or less, Harry, and birds in particular, in
the construction of their nests, some of which are very curious indeed;
perhaps one of the most striking instances is that of the Sociable
Grosbeak, a bird which is found in the interior of the Cape of Good
Hope. They construct their nests under one roof, which they form of the
branches of some tall and wide-spreading tree, thatching it all over, as
it were, with a species of grass.

"When they have got their habitation fairly covered in they lay out the
inside, according to some travellers, into regular streets, with nests on
both sides, about a couple of inches distant from each other. In one
respect, however, they differ from the beaver, they do not appear to lay
up a common store of food, the nature of the climate not rendering such
a precaution necessary.
"Here is the account of one of these erections furnished by a gentleman
who minutely examined the structure.
"I observed on the way a tree with an enormous nest of those birds, to
which I have given the appellation of republicans; and, as soon as I
arrived at my camp, I despatched a few men, with a waggon, to bring it
to me, that I might open the hive, and examine the structure in its
minutest parts. When it arrived, I cut it in pieces with a hatchet, and
found that the chief portion of the structure consisted of a mass of
Boshman's grass, without any mixture, but so compact and firmly
basketed together as to be impenetrable to the rain. This is the
commencement of the structure; and each bird builds its particular nest
under this canopy. But the nests are formed only beneath the eaves of
the canopy, the upper surface remaining void, without, however, being
useless; for, as it has a projecting rim, and is a little inclined, it serves
to let the rain-water run off, and preserves each little dwelling from the
rain. Figure to yourself a huge irregular sloping roof, and all the eaves
of which are completely covered with nests, crowded one against
another,