i68 



THE BEARS 



this period the polar bear forms a den and is Hterally 

 snowed in, coming out lean and ugly in the early 

 spring. 



The black bear (Fig. 150) is a well-known form. I 

 have seen it crossing my path in the Adirondacks, and 

 its tracks are common in the mountains in California. In 

 the Yellowstone Park these bears are so tame that they 

 come up to the hotels to eat the garbage thrown out to 

 them. The black bear is fond of berries and fruit, not 

 being confined to flesh, though it will not refuse it. 



Fig. 151. — The Grizzly Bear. 



The king of the bears is the famous grizzly (Fig. 151), 

 the largest and most powerful of the entire tribe, easily 

 killing large animals with a blow of its enormous claw. 

 In the early days in California it was one of the sports to 

 ride out and lariat the grizzly, so plentiful were these 

 animals. But they are now so rare that in the San 

 Gabriel Valley only one or two have been killed in ten 

 years. 



