292 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



and boxing was of the roughest character, and frequently 

 drew blood, they never got angry, and never had a real fight. 



In the autumn of 1906 one of the animals sickened and 

 died, and presently the impression prevailed that the survivor 

 was lonesome. The desirability of introducing a female com- 

 panion was spoken of, but I was afraid to try the experiment. 



By and by, Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, who had handled about 

 forty polar bears to my one, wrote to us, offering a fine female 

 polar as a mate to the survivor. She was conceded to be one- 

 third smaller than the big male, but was fully adult. Without 

 loss of time I answered, declining to make the purchase, on 

 the ground that our male bear would kill the female. It was 

 my belief that even if he did not at once deliberately murder 

 her, he soon would wear her out by his rough play. 



Mr. Hagenbeck replied with the assurance that, in his 

 opinion, all would be well; that, instead of a tragedy taking 

 place, the male would be delighted with a female companion, 

 and that the pair would breed. As convincing proof of the 

 sincerity of his views, Mr. Hagenbeck offered to lose half the 

 purchase price of the female bear in the event that my worst 

 fears were realized. 



I asked the opinion of our head keeper of bears, and after 

 due reflection he said: 



"Why, no; I don't believe he'd kill her. He's not a bad 

 bear at all. I think we could work it so that there would be 

 no great trouble." 



Mr. Hagenbeck's son also felt sure there would be no 

 tragedy. 



Quite against my own judgment of polar-bear character, 

 but in deference to the expert opinion arrayed against mine, 

 I finally yielded. The female bear was purchased, and on her 

 arrival she was placed for three weeks in the large shifting- 

 cage which connects with the eastern side of the great polar 

 bears' den. 



The two animals seemed glad to see each other. At once 



