262 The Wilderness Hunter. 



over-exerting his clumsy strength, he lost his grip and 

 rolled clean on his back. Under some of the logs he 

 evidently found mice and chipmunks ; then, as soon as 

 the log was overturned, he would be seen jumping about 

 with grotesque agility, and making quick dabs here and 

 there, as the little, scurrying rodent turned and twisted, 

 until at last he put his paw on it and scooped it up into his 

 mouth. Sometimes, probably when he smelt the mice 

 underneath, he would cautiously turn the log over with 

 one paw, holding the other lifted and ready to strike. 

 Now and then he would halt and sniff the air in every 

 direction, and it was after one of these halts that he sud- 

 denly shuffled off into the woods. 



Black bear generally feed on berries, nuts, insects, 

 carrion, and the like ; but at times they take to killing 

 very large animals. In fact, they are curiously irregular 

 in their food. They will kill deer if they can get at 

 them ; but generally the deer are too quick. Sheep and 

 hogs are their favorite prey, especially the latter, for 

 bears seem to have a special relish for pork. Twice I 

 have known a black bear kill cattle. Once the victim 

 was a bull which had got mired, and which the bear delib- 

 erately proceeded to eat alive, heedless of the bellows of 

 the unfortunate beast. On the other occasion, a cow 

 was surprised and slain among some bushes at the edge 

 of a remote pasture. In the spring, soon after the long 

 winter sleep, they are very hungry, and are especially 

 apt to attack large beasts at this time ; although dur- 

 ing the very first days of their appearance, when they 

 are just breaking their fast, they eat rather sparingly, 



