THE BEAVER. 85 



Habitations. 



he examined he found fifteen different cells. 

 The number of inhabitants in each house varies 

 from two to thirty. Each individual is said to 

 form its bed of moss, leaves, Sic. and each family 

 lays in a stock of winter provisions, consisting 

 chiefly of bark and the tender branches of trees, 

 cut into certain lengths, and piled up with great 

 neatness and regularity. 



In each house are two openings, one towards 

 the land, by which the animals go in quest of 

 food; the other under the water, and always be- 

 low the thickness of the ice; by which means 

 they are secured from the effects of frost. 



When they have continued in the same place 

 three or four years, they frequently erect a new- 

 house annually ; and it sometimes happens, that 

 the new building is so close to the old, that they 

 cut a communication from one to the other; and 

 this may probably have given rise to the idea of 

 their having several apartments. When their 

 houses are completely finished, they still carry on 

 fresh works: nor do they desist even when the 

 pond is frozen over; but continue their employ- 

 ment for some nights after, through a hole in 

 the ice, which they keep open for that purpose. 



In the summer season, they often forsake their 

 houses, and ramble about from place to place, sleep- 

 ing under the covert of bushes, near the water-side. 

 On these occasions they have sentinels, who, by 

 a certain cry, give notice of the approach of dan- 

 ger: in the winter they never stir out, except to 



