244 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



except among the marsupials, whose young are so disproportionately small, or are 

 born in such an undeveloped condition." 



Although the white man kills the bear without any remorse of conscience, the 

 Indians had such respect for his intellect and cunning that they endeavored to 

 appease his departed spirit with various time honored ceremonies, in which an orator 

 extolled his courage, regretted the necessity of his killing, and paid a tribute to the 

 valor of the surviving members of his family. 



In comparatively recent years there were a good many of the larger game animals 

 in the Adirondack forests, — of which the moose, the panther and the wolf have 

 become practically extinct. Excepting the recent importations for restocking there 

 is now no wild moose in the North Woods. It has been years since I have known a 

 well-authenticated story of a wolf ; and while it is possible the panther is not 

 entirely extinct, if he still exists his numbers are few and his end near. 



Practically speaking, of the larger mammals in our forest the red deer and the 

 black bear alone remain. There seems to be a law, higher even than an act of the 

 New York Legislature, that the wild beast must disappear before the advance of 

 civilization ; and while the development of the Adirondacks by the railroad, the 

 summer hotel, and the pulp mill has added many to our school houses and churches, 

 it has done much towards the destruction of our wild animals. Modern science tells 

 us that all life is dependent upon its environment, and the repeating rifle loaded 

 with smokeless powder does not make a favorable environment for large game. 



Deer are quite plentiful, but in some respects the bear seems to have withstood 

 the hand of man more successfully than the deer. Much has been done by our law- 

 makers to protect the deer, and the sentiment of man is against his destruction ; but 

 the bear has no man for his friend. No legislature has ever put any restriction upon 

 his murder, while in some counties he is regarded as an outlaw and a reward is 

 placed upon his head. Many thousands of dollars have been paid as bounties for 

 his extermination ; still he survives, and occasionally takes a sheep or a calf from 

 some mountain farmer as a forced restitution for the wrongs inflicted on his race. 



People who know the bear only in captivity do not understand him in his wild 

 state. This sluggish, awkward animal will lead a dog in a wild chase over the high- 

 est peaks and most inaccessible places in our mountains, and when finally overtaken 

 will turn upon his pursuers and, with one stroke of his powerful arm, send any dog 

 within his reach howling away or Ij'ing bleeding and dying at his feet. 



The wild bear is not only fleet of foot, but has great sagacity, is very alert and is 

 seldom overcome in a fair field, even by our most experienced woodsmen. W'hen 

 taken in the summer or autumn he usuallv falls a victim to the large steel trap set 



