32 COMMON BEAYEH* 
rcntly intended for food. And round the middle 
of this house, which formed a passage for them to 
go in and out at, he found no less than fifteen dif- 
ferent cells. These habitations were made by posts, 
fixed slanting upwards to a point; and in the 
middle was the floor, resting firmly oh notches in 
the posts. 
Notwithstanding all the sagacity and the exten- 
sive reasoning faculties of mankind, how often do 
we see their best-formed plans, their most dear and 
favourite contrivances fail, through some unlooked 
for event ! We cannot then surely be surprised, 
when we are told, (as we are by one writer, in 
order to lessen our opinion of the sagacity of these 
animals,) that a community of beavers has in one 
or two instances, been starved to death, in con- 
sequence of a failure of provisions, or some want 
of foresight in fixing upon a spot that was found 
not to contain sufficient food to support them 
or that they have sometimes established their co- 
lony in a fiat situation, where a sudden thaw has 
swelled the water to such a height as to flood the 
whole place, wash away their food, and thus de- 
stroy them. To suppose them capable of judging 
Of probabilities to so great an extent, would be to 
rank them in intellect with man. -We must rather 
be astonished at the operations that wc see them 
perform, than seek for them any higher situation 
than that in which they are placed. 
Beavers bring forth their young towards the .end 
of June ; and generally have two at a time, which 
are, in nine instances out of ten, a male and a fe- 
male. These continue with their parents till they 
are full three years old ; when they pair oif, and 
form houses for themselves. If, however, they are 
undisturbed, and have plenty of provisions, they 
remain with the old ones, and thus form a doubk 
