THE BLACK BEAR. 



57 



Brown ; they did not return until night. During the ride I startled a 

 Barn owl {Stri'x fratincohi) out of a small tree, and saw an unusual 

 number of Quail (C virgin/anus), nearly all of which were in pairs. 



Wednesday, April 4, 1894: Started very early and hunted 

 faithfully for some hours, but the dogs failed to find a fresh trail. 

 Bears are wandering about at this season of the year and do not 

 stay long in one place. Saw several fresh deer tracks and dug out 

 the old water holes where the bears go to drink. Two of them were 

 nearly dry. 



Thursday, April 5, 1894 : As we drove down the beach this 

 morning the sun was just rising above the horizon. The air was 

 cool and damp. A few willets and turnstones were feeding along 

 the beach, and flocks of Brown Pelicans {P. /uscits) passed us, fly- 

 ing parallel to the shore, about two hundred yards from the beach. 

 They flew in line, one behind the other, and they would all flap 

 their wings or sail motionless, following the example of their leader. 

 I intended to 

 hunt some miles 

 further south, 

 but as we had 

 made rather a 

 late start I de- 

 termined to 

 look a t some 

 old water holes 

 nearby, hoping 

 to find signs 

 of bear in the 

 vicinit}'. Leav- 

 ing the wagon 

 on the beach, 

 I mounted old 

 Bob, Quarter- 

 man riding Doctor, while Gale and Pat followed on foot, leading 

 the hounds. Shortly after reaching the edge of a wide marsh we 



RATTLKSNAKE. 



