﻿2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 59 



had, can be made into a separate compartment for shutting the 

 bears apart when desired. As more bears were kept, additional ac- 

 commodations were provided. 



An important feature of the bears' quarters is the retiring den, 

 which provides a suitable place for the animal to hibernate. There 

 are two of these connected with each pit and one with the entrance 

 passage. Each den is 5 feet by 6 feet and 4 feet high, lined with 

 brick. They are excavated in the earth, back several feet from the 

 pit, and 8 or 10 feeet below the surface of the ground. Each has a 

 small ventilating flue extending to the top of the ground. 



The male and female are placed together about June 1, and breed 

 during the last ten days of June and the first week of July. Only 

 one male has been used for breeding, and the younger females which 

 have been bred are offspring of the original pair. In all cases, the 

 first breeding was at three and a half years. Usually all of the 

 breeding bears are together during breeding time, and they are not 

 separated until ready to go into hibernation. 



In the fall the bears become very fat. As cold weather approaches, 

 large quantities of dry leaves are thrown into the pit, which the 

 bears carry into the dens. They spend much of their time there, 

 but come out for an occasional meal till the advent of settled cold 

 weather, usually about the middle of December, when they finally 

 retire to the dens for the winter. They generally come out from 

 hibernation early in March. Each female that is expected to have 

 young hibernates by herself : the male and a young female remain 

 together in the pit through the winter. 



Mr. W. R. Lodge, manager of Silver Lake Park, states that the 

 bears have always come out, after hibernating for two or three 

 months, in practically as good condition as they went in, not even 

 the females, with cubs a month old or more, showing any thinness. 

 Nor do they appear to be hungry, for at the first meal they take but 

 very little food, putting out the tongue and touching the apple, 

 parsnip or whatever is offered, before biting it ; and it is only after 

 three or four days, or even a week, that they eat with the usual 

 appetite. 



The young have been born between January 21 and 27, with the 

 exception of two litters, one February 1 and the other a day or two 

 earlier. Their whimpering can be heard through the ventilating 

 shaft, and this at once gives notice of their presence in the den. 

 From the very few which have been examined immediately after 

 birth, it would appear that the weight of new-born cubs ranges be- 



