HUNTING BEARS IN NORWAY. 5 



brown, rufous-brown, and even gray in colour, but the 

 difference is to be attributed to age, or to the effects of 

 climate. 



It is commonly believed in Norway that when the 

 bear retires to his winter quarters, he stops up the 

 intestinal canal with a plug, called in this country the 

 tappen, and remains without food during the whole 

 season of hybernation. During that period, Bruin is 

 supposed to exist by sucking his paws. It is possible 

 that the he-bear may be able to maintain life in winter 

 without food, but it can hardly be so with the female, 

 as she brings forth her young in Norway by about the 

 beginning of January, when she must have necessary 

 food, otherwise she would be unable to suckle her off- 

 spring. She produces two cubs at a birth, and selects 

 the time when the male has retired to his hie, or den, 

 so that he may not devour the young ones. The cubs 

 when born are naked and blind, but the mother soon 

 licks them into shape, according to the saying, " Lam- 

 bendo sicut ursa catulos." The young bears are, at 

 first, about as large as puppies; but they grow fast, 

 and the she-bear, like an attentive nurse, holds them 

 to her breast with her paws to keep them warm, and 

 to protect them from danger. 



In Norway, bears are hunted with small dogs, which 

 are trained for the purpose. When brought to bay, 

 the dogs run in and attack the bear in its tender parts, 

 when the hunter comes up, and puts a rifle ball through 

 its head. Sometimes it is taken in deep pitfalls, and 

 in large traps. The bear is apt to frequent the same 

 locality for a long time, when it is exceedingly de- 

 structive to the farmer's cattle. When this happens, 

 notice is given to all the able-bodied men in the dis- 



