Why Are There Statues Of Beavers On Top Of This Oxford Street Shop?

There's plenty to catch your eye on Oxford Street; even more if you raise your gaze above shop level. If you glance up at the top of 105 to 109 Oxford Street, you'll see a strange quartet of creatures decorating the roof. Four beavers, the top one holding a scroll, have been peering down on Oxford Street shoppers for 130 years. Why is that?