Old Ephraim, the Grisly Bear 79 



like a drove, on some favorite feeding-ground 

 usually where the berries are thick, or by 

 the banks of a salmon-thronged river the as- 

 sociation is never more than momentary, each 

 going its own way as soon as its hunger is satis- 

 fied. The males always live alone by choice, 

 save in the rutting season, when they seek the 

 females. Then two or three may come to- 

 gether in the course of their pursuit and rough 

 courtship of the female; and if the rivals are 

 well matched, savage battles follow, so that 

 many of the old males have their heads seamed 

 with scars made by their fellows' teeth. At 

 such times they are evil tempered and prone 

 to attack man or beast upon the slightest prov- 

 ocation. 



The she brings forth her cubs, one, two, or 

 three in number, in her winter den. They are 

 very small and helpless things, and it is some 

 time after she leaves her winter home before 

 they can follow her for any distance. They 

 stay with her throughout the summer and the 

 fall, leaving her when the cold weather sets in. 

 By this time they are well grown ; and hence, 

 especially if an old male has joined the she, 

 the family may number three or four individ- 

 uals, so as to make what seems like quite a lit- 

 tle troop of bears. A small ranchman who 



