152 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



One rainy afternoon I took a watch on one of these creeks. 

 The salmon were fighting their way up the shallow stream in 

 countless hundreds. Soon I was rewarded by seeing two bears 

 rise from the grass some two hundred yards below. Although 

 I was careful to secrete myself in a favorable locality, they must 

 have scented danger, for they returned to the timber. Soon they 

 appeared again, and, after surveying the flat thoroughly, walked 

 up the edge of the forest toward me. When opposite, and about 

 fifty yards distant, they halted, and rising on their hind legs, 

 looked about. The one in advance was particularly cautious, but 

 the other seemed satisfied that his companion would scent danger 

 if any existed. They were not satisfied, however, and again re- 

 turned to shelter. 



Once more I saw them standing side by side at the edge of the 

 timber, their front feet on a log. At last they ventured out into 

 the tall grass, and each took a dead fish and returned to the tim- 

 ber to eat it. Fifteen minutes later they reappeared, and came 

 to the edge of the stream, not more than a hundred feet from me. 

 I was anxious to see one of them catch a salmon, but it was done 

 so quickly that I can scarcely describe the act. The leading bear 

 came to the edge, and had scarcely stopped when, with a quick 

 sweep of his paw, he threw a salmon upon the bank and seized 

 it in his mouth. On seeing this, his companion ran up and took 

 it away from him. He was probably the master, as he met with 

 little resistance. 



I did not intend killing the bears, but the longer I watched, 

 the better seemed their condition, although it was late in the sea- 

 son for prime skins. At last, hoping that their skins and skulls 

 would throw some light upon the much-puzzling question of 

 Alaskan bears, I opened fire with my " Savage." They were not 

 more than twenty-five feet from cover, and I had to work very 

 quickly to stop them before they could reach shelter. At the 

 sound of the first shot the bear not wounded rose upon his hind 

 feet, the fish still in his mouth. My second bullet struck him in 

 the shoulder. Both animals, although mortally wounded, broke 

 for the timber. It was scarcely necessary to shoot them a second 

 time, but I did so in order to end their troubles as quickly as 

 possible. 



I remained longer, in the hope of being treated to another fish- 

 insf exhibition. About five o'clock a third bear came in view 



