average person. However, it graces every Zoo, and its 

 "rolling gait" is a source of amusement to young and 

 old alike. The bear is not a ferocious animal as is com- 

 monly supposed, and makes a hasty retreat upon the 

 approach of humans. It will fight viciously when 

 wounded and a mother with cubs is not an amiable 

 creature to associate with. 



The bear has a remarkably developed sense of 

 hearing but its eyesight is poor, and it is said to depend 

 upon its senses of hearing and smell for finding food. 

 It is classed as a carnivorous animal and does eat birds, 

 small mammals and, occasionally, young pigs, which it 

 steals from farms in rural counties. But the bear is also 

 very fond of fruits, berries and nuts. Honey is one of 

 its favorite delicacies and since our native bear is an 

 excellent climber, it is able to rob bees' nests of their 

 winter supply. In the late fall or early winter, the bear 

 can frequently be found in forests where the beech tree 

 abides. It feeds on beech nuts and frequently "roots" 

 up the ground with its muzzle to uncover buried nuts. 



The bear is almost entirely a forest animal but it 

 frequently wanders into open country and causes con- 

 cern to farmers who have corn, orchards, bee hives and 

 little pigs. While the bear is, chiefly, a nocturnal ani- 

 mal, it wanders about during the day in undisturbed 

 sections. 



A bear hibernates in a cave, in a burrow, or under 

 the stump of a tree. Here it sleeps lightly for a period, 

 dependent upon the severity of the winter, and ventures 

 forth in mild weather. It requires considerable irrita- 

 tion to awaken some hibernating forms, but the bear 

 seems to sleep with "one eye open." Unlike most of the 



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