Beaver

The earliest form of this word is *fiber*, which is used to signify the animal, the *Castor*, by Varro and Pliny. The fabulous story of the self-emasculation by which the beaver eludes pursuit, is thus introduced by Silius, in illustrating the flight of Hasdrubal:— "Fluminei veluti deprensus gurgitis undis, Avulsâ parte inguinibus caussaque pericli, Enatat intento prædæ *fibor* avius hoste." *Punica*, IV. 485-8, where see Ruperti. The scholiast on Juvenal, xii. 34., has the low Latin *vebrus*. (See Forcellini, Lex. in *Fiber* et *Castor*, Ducange in *Bever*, and Adelung in *Biber*.) Derivation…