212 ANTICOSTt. 



following spring, and then shift for themselves. The 

 young females have cubs in the third year, though they 

 have then by no means attained their full size. In spring 

 and early summer they feed entirely on fish and fish 

 spawn, which is thrown upon the beach by the sea. A 

 large ugly fish, called by the French poule du mer, is 

 Bruin's favourite tackle, though he is very fond of capelin 

 and herring spawn, both of which are cast up in immense 

 quantities. After a storm, I have walked along the beach 

 for half a mile up to my ankles in herring spawn. Bears 

 are very fond of digging and scraping in the kelp and sea- 

 weed, where they pick up grubs and insects. When Bruin 

 is hungry he comes out of the woods, and strolls along 

 the beach a little above high-water mark. When he finds 

 a poule du mer he carries it off into the woods, there to 

 devour it at his leisure, crouching over it the while as he 

 holds it between his paws. His action looks awkward 

 short shuffling steps wide apart, and head wagging from 

 side to side ; but for all this he gets along pretty fast, 

 picking his steps too, for the water is cold in spring, and 

 he does not like to wet his feet. Neither does he like the 

 cold sea breeze ; but in fine warm weather, particularly in 

 the mornings and evenings, he spends a good deal of time 

 on the beach, rambling about, licking up the spawn, and 

 grubbing and rolling in the kelp. His food he finds more 

 by nose than by sight. Young bears are as playful as 

 kittens, and when two or three of them meet they play 

 high jinks in the seaweed. The, best chance to shoot 

 them is in the morning and the evening, when the tide is 

 on the ebb. Paddling along the coast of Anticosti, it is 

 quite the exception not to see one or two bears in the 

 course of the day. I have seen as many as seven in one 



