t^i: <Bn33fj 



would be likely to remain and dose or blanket the 

 entrance all winter long. Snow evidently enters 

 into the grizzly's winter plans. 



Late one cold, snowless December I came upon a 

 grizzly carrying spruce boughs into his den. Evi- 

 dently he had used the den and found it cold. The 

 den had a large opening ; this he may have been in- 

 tending to close. The rocky floor was already piled 

 a foot deep with boughs. I have seen two other 

 dens with floor-coverings; one of these was of pine 

 twigs, and the other of coarse grass and kinni- 

 kinnick. But in most cases the bear sleeps upon 

 the uncovered rocks or the naked earth. 



Snow is a factor in determining when a bear be- 

 gins his winter sleep. If he is fat and food is scarce, 

 an early, heavy snow is pretty certain to cause him 

 to turn in early. If no snow comes and food is still 

 to be had, the bear is likely to delay his hiberna- 

 tion. 



The individual inclination of the bear and his 

 condition — whether fat or thin — are also factors 

 which influence his time of retiring. I knew of two 

 bears, apparently of similar condition, one of whom 

 turned in three weeks earlier than the other. Two 

 bears whom I noticed one winter ran about more 



86 



