BEAVER®S AND THEIR WAYS. 285 
importance which are still undetermined. To one such point 
only I will allude, namely, the condition of the young at birth. 
It is a very remarkable fact that in the Rodents this differs 
considerably in different species. Take the case of two such 
familiar animals of this order as the Hare and Rabbit. Young 
Rabbits are born blind and nearly naked, and remain in this 
helpless condition for at least ten days or a fortnight; young 
Hares are born clothed with fur, and with the eyes open; and 
are able to run about and feed on the second day after birth. 
This curious difference is doubtless correlated with the different 
conditions under which the two species are placed at birth, 
young Rabbits being born under ground and in the dark, while 
young Hares are produced above ground in a “‘ seat”’ or ‘‘ form,” 
as it is termed, and exposed to the light of day. 
How is it with young Beavers? At the present moment I am 
unable to say. I have consulted a great number of works in 
which reference is made to this animal without being able to 
discover any information on this point, and conclude therefore 
that the question has not yet been answered in print, although 
to those who have hunted and trapped Beavers, or studied them 
in their proper haunts, it must doubtless be known. Mr. Bartlett 
informs me that on the occasion of the birth of young Beavers in 
the Zoological Gardens the animals were so exceedingly shy, 
rarely showing themselves except at night, that it was impossible 
to ascertain either the number, or condition of the young; and 
whenever a young one made its appearance, it was immediately 
carried back to its lodge by the old one. We know, however, from 
other reliable sources that the number of young in a litter varies 
from two to five, and very rarely six.* They live with their 
parents until the following spring, when they are driven away to 
shift for themselves. 
Within the last ten or twelve years, as most people are 
probably now aware, the Beaver has been locally reintroduced 
into Scotland by the Marquis of Bute. In 1874 aspace of between 
three and four acres was enclosed in a wood on the Island of 
Bute, and four Beavers were turned out. The following spring 
seven others were liberated, and they have since increased and 
* Hearne, ‘Journey from Prince of Wales’s Foot to the Northern Ocean,’ 
4to, 1725, p. 226. Morgan, ‘The American Beaver and his Works,’ 8vo, 
1868, p. 314. 
