Blackbear 1063 



The claw-marks made by a Grizzly differ from those of a 

 Blackbear, first by their size and second by being clearly 5 in 

 number, while the latter often leave but 4. This is due to the 

 shortness of the Blackbear's thumb and claw. In the Rockies 

 the aspen is most frequently used as a bear-register, and it is 

 singularly well adapted for records, as its smooth bark never 

 loses its scars. The claw-marks of the Bear may grow out of 

 pine or cotton-wood, but once in the aspen bark they stay there 

 for life. Thus the bark of a growing aspen car- 

 ries a record of all that tree's vicissitudes for 

 those who can read. Bear claw-marks, frost- 

 crack, woodpecker borings, insect ravages, horn 

 thrusts from Wapiti, Squirrel gnawings on the mere 

 expansions and sutures of growth, are all there, 

 in plain and legible sight (Plates XCIII-XCVI). 



Deep marks such as claw-wounds may even 

 get stronger as years go by. I know of a singular 

 case — a Blackbear climbed an aspen some twenty p,^ 243-Quakmg 

 years before I saw it — there was the record tt^^^cZf^oZ 

 plainly to be seen, but the claw-marks, at first ?i inche°s long'''^ 

 deep pits, had filled up as level black scars, and 

 at length became ever-lengthening bumps, till now each is pro- 

 longed into black claw-like warts i^ inches long (see Fig. 243). 



In addition to the claw- and teeth-marks, it is common to 

 see the bear-tree more or less plastered with mud in which is 

 Bear hair. This was left by some Bear rubbing his back and 

 marking his height after he had been wallowing in the mud. 

 Some observers think that the registers are used only in the 

 running season, but I have reason to believe that in a less degree 

 they serve the year round. 



The sum of evidence shows that in the latitude of the mating 

 Northern States and southern Canada the mating season of 

 the Blackbear is early June; though in some cases it may be 

 deferred as late as the first week of July. 



But little is known of the details. According to some 

 hunters, the males rush along the bear-trails, stopping at every 



