44 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



threw them some lumps still left in their possession, 

 which the old bear took away and laid before her cubs, 

 reserving only a small piece for herself. As they were 

 eating the last piece, the men shot the cubs and wounded 

 the mother. Her distress was most painful to behold, 

 and, though wounded, she crawled to the spot where 

 they lay, tore the piece of flesh into pieces, and put 

 some before each. Finding they did not eat, she tried 

 to raise them, making piteous moans all the time. She 

 then went to some distance, looked back and moaned ; 

 and this failing to entice them, she returned and licked 

 their wounds. She did this a second time, and still 

 finding that the cubs did not follow, she went round 

 and pawed them with great tenderness. Being at last 

 convinced that they were lifeless, she raised her head 

 towards the ship, and by a growl seemed to reproach 

 their destroyers. They returned this with a volley of 

 musket balls; 1 she fell between her cubs, and died 

 licking their^wounds. 



The Black Bear of Canada is a formidable creature ; 

 and Dr. Richardson contradicts the assertion that it is 

 not swift of foot. He says that it soon outstrips the 

 swiftest runner, and adds that it climbs as well, if not 

 better than a cat. It feeds on berries, eggs, and roots; 

 but although it does not seek flesh, it does not refuse 

 it when offered. A young bear of this kind roughly 

 handled a Canadian settler, who being a very large 

 powerful man, returned hug for hug, till the surprised 

 bear let go its hold. It had ventured into some young 

 plantations, where it was committing much mischief, 

 and the settler had endeavoured to frighten it away. 

 A friend of mine was in the house when the gentleniau 



1 Captain Phipps' Voyage to the North Pule. 



