42 SrORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



The forehead of the grizzly is broad, flattish, and nearly 

 on a line with the nose ; the ears are longer than the tail, 

 and are more arched and conical than those of the black 

 bear ; the legs are thick, and very powerful ; the claws are 

 exceedingly long, ranging from two and a half to six inches, 

 and project some distance beyond the hair of the foot ; and 

 the foot has a length of about eighteen inches. The claws 

 are very sharp, and so dense that they cut like a keen sabre 

 when the animal uses them ; and, to make them as effective 

 as possible, nature has made the fore claws double the 

 length of the hinder. 



The grizzly has an erect mane between the shoulders; 

 a dark dorsal stripe from the occiput to the tail ; a lateral 

 one on each side along the flanks, but nearly concealed by 

 the light tips; and the intervals between the stripes are 

 lightest in hue. The hairs on the body are a brownish- 

 yellow, with hoary tips occasionally ; the muzzle is pale ; 

 the parts around the ears are dusky ; the legs are inclined 

 to be darkish in hue; and the tail is so short as to be hid- 

 den by hair. The presence of this giant may be known 

 long before it is seen, by the size of its footsteps, and es- 

 pecially by their great width. 



This is the bear of the mountains, as its congener is of 

 the forests and lowlands ; yet it is not confined in its habi- 

 tat to rugged regions, but goes wherever food is to be 

 found. It is a denizen of nearly all the States and Terri- 

 tories west of the Rocky Mountains, but it is not met far- 

 ther north than the forty-second parallel on the Cascade 

 Range, or about the junction of Oregon and California. It 

 roams to Bi-itish America, however, in another direction, 

 by following the lower chains that trend northward from 

 the Rocky Mountains, and is as abundant in some portions 

 of that country as it is farther south. 



It hibernates during the winter in the northern regions; 

 yet it is not unusual to see an old male out in search of 

 food during the coldest weather, but I doubt if one ever 

 saw cubs or gravid females. To encounter the animal dur- 

 ing these expeditions in search of pabulum is a dangerous 



