Old Ephraim, the Grisly Bear 59 



often on a hillside, and may be either shallow 

 or deep. In the mountains it is generally a 

 natural cave in the rock, but among the foot- 

 hills and on the plains the bear usually has to 

 take some hollow or opening, and then fashion 

 it into a burrow to his liking with his big dig- 

 ging claws. 



Before the cold weather sets in the bear be- 

 gins to grow restless, and to roam about seek- 

 ing for a good place in which to hole up. One 

 will often try and abandon several caves or 

 partially dug-out burrows in succession before 

 rinding a place to its taste. It always endeav- 

 ors to choose a spot where there is little 

 chance of discovery or molestation, taking 

 great care to avoid leaving too evident trace 

 of its work. Hence it is not often that the 

 dens are found. 



Once in its den the bear passes the cold 

 months in lethargic sleep; yet, in all but the 

 coldest weather, and sometimes even then, its 

 slumber is but light, and if disturbed it will 

 promptly leave its den, prepared for fight or 

 flight as the occasion may require. Many 

 times when a hunter has stumbled on the win- 

 ter resting-place of a bear and has left it, as 

 he thought, without his presence being dis- 

 covered, he has returned only to find that the 



