BEAVERS—THEIR WAYS. 97 
species special] gifts of merit and of brain endowment 
in points in which even the human kind are lacking— 
great in intellectual superiority as we imagine ourselves 
to be. We speak of animal instinct and drop our inquiry 
on reaching that line. But this ‘‘instinct” in some ani- 
mals often soar into mysterious space and bring us por- 
tents from the zodiacal realm, and thus impart to us in 
sign by which we shall know the future at least within 
a given compass of time of the season that is to come. 
Animals that live by the storing of provender for 
their winter feed are often or always guided in their sup- 
ply limit by expected weather change preparations that 
show unerring judgment in calculation outcome. 
This being verified, and a careful watch placed on 
these animals, will give answer to the inquirer, what the 
coming season would bring forth in the way of weather? 
By a careful study of their habits in this way the 
seeker after information will learn weather-wise wisdom 
cannot be despised. 
Early last autumn the writer made a trip to the Doug- 
lass river, beyond Fort Stevenson. The object was to 
secure a pair of live beavers, if such could be found 
that had run the gauntlet of exterminating hands. 
These industrious animals were becoming so scarce 
that their very presence in that region had drifted our 
inquiring mind into the conjectural concerning their pre- 
sent existence there at all. However, some beaver signs 
was found. 
Having had, at odd spells, some 30 years experience 
in noting the habit of the beavers, after finding their 
sign and marking their work, the writer returned to 
Washburn with the impressions made, and with the add- 
