720 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxviii. 



Early in the niorning of July 15, 1865, as I was in my tent, 

 (•ni))tyino- .some birds' egg's gathered the previous day a few miles east 

 of the Wilniot Horton River, 1 noticed the countenance of an Indian 

 assistant Avho Avas at the door suddenly change color and exhibit much 

 fear. 1 asked him what ailed him, and he nmttered ".sy/.s-s," which is 

 the Chipewyaii general term for bear. I got up immediately, looked 

 out, and with nmch delight saw what under the peculiarly hazy mirage 

 of the hour, when objects not far away appear comparativel}^ gigantic, 

 one enormous and two young Barren Ground bears coming direct for 

 our camp. 1 at once roused up our l)est shots and made read}' to 

 accord them a very warm reception; but just as they were about arriv- 

 ing within range of our nmzzle-loaders (there were no breech-loading 

 rifles in those days) tiie mother bear i)erceived the tent, as well as our 

 crouched ])arty, which, under the stated atmospheric conditions must 

 have struck her with fearful astonishment, as she instantly got up on 

 her haunches, a proceeding followed ])y her offspring (over two years 

 old). After Inning a fairly good look at us, they all bolted, while 

 apparently not one of the dozen balls tired at them went home, as they 

 scampered away at a I'apid pace, and so escaped. On the succeed- 

 ing evening, another large animal was seen, and he appeared to be 

 making right for our encampment; but, although he was allowed to 

 approach quite close, we failed to secure him. On another occasion, 

 several of our Indian hunters observed a bear busily engaged in feed- 

 ing on the carcass of a reindeer, which had proba))ly died from the 

 effects of a 1)ullet- wound received a short time previously on the arctic 

 coast, near Langton Harl)or, Franklin Ba}'. As soon as the}^ were 

 noticed, he got up on his hind legs and after a square look at them 

 decided to retire, and succeeded in doing so scathless. From all that 

 has been narrated herein, I think it will be readil}^ admitttMl that the 

 male, at least, of [I^rsu.s richardsoiu is a bold and courageous animal, and 

 when wounded is quite as brave and formidable an antagonist on his 

 own grounds as his cousin, the true mountain grizzly, is in his terri- 

 tory. The female is doubtless less aggressive, except when defending 

 her young. Nearly all these referred to were males. The Indians 

 say that the females give birth to one or two cubs ever}^ third year, 

 and that they keep company and hi))ernate for two seasons in the same 

 shelter-hole or cave with their mother. The paunches of the bears 

 secured ]\y us were mostly full of various edil)le roots, and one or two 

 contained some partially-digested venison. Exclusive of a compara- 

 tively small number of skins shipped as trade returns of the post, I 

 may mention that the Smithsonian Institution received several exam- 

 ples of the full-grown and some spring cubs of the male and female of 

 the Barren Ground l)ear, A. G, Dallas, esq., then resident governor- 

 in-chief of the Hudson's Bay Company, had a line large mountable 

 specimen sent to him by request. A similar sample was also forwarded 



