146 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



and hunter of small prey rather than a carnivorous animal, its feeding 

 habits being much like those of the Pig. Roots, herbs, the leaves 

 and twigs of certain trees, mushrooms, and all sorts of berries, form 

 much of its usual diet ; its fondness for honey is well known, and, in 

 contrast to this sweet food, it readily devours Ants, presumably on 

 account of their acid flavour. It is, however, not averse to animal 

 food, and as it advances in years, in Europe at any rate, is inclined 

 to kill large animals for food, and then becomes a scourge to stock- 

 owners, killing Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and especially Pigs ; Bears in 

 general seeming to have a strong liking for pork when they take to 

 meat-eating at all. Although, however, people have often been killed 

 by Bears, these animals seem not to take to man-eating. The Bear is 

 fond of water, and likes, in hot weather, to bathe in it as well as 

 drink. In Eastern Siberia and Alaska, and probably wherever fish 

 swarm in the streams and are easily captured, he feeds largely 

 upon them, so this gives him additional reason for haunting the 

 water-sides. It is hardly necessary to say that so powerful a brute is 

 a good swimmer when necessity arises, and, as everybody knows, he 

 climbs trees readily. In descending these he comes down hind-first, 

 unlike other climbing animals. His gait on the ground is rather 

 heavy-looking, as, like Bears in general, he plants the whole sole of 

 the feet on the ground, leaving a track much like a man's ; but he 

 can put on a very good pace, and no man could get away from him 

 by fair running. 



He stands, and even walks, on his hind-legs with ease, and has 

 been known to carry off a heavy carcase in his arms when in this 

 position, though more ordinarily he drags it with his mouth like a 

 Wolf. In attack he also uses both paws and teeth, and can strike a 

 most terrific blow, though the "hugging" that he is credited with 

 seems not to be his custom. 



One of the best-known of the Brown Bear's habits is his hiber- 

 nation in winter; having fed fat on berries in the autumn, he chooses 

 a snug den under a rock or in a hollow tree, and retires therein when 

 the cold weather begins, to sleep the winter through. At this time 



