ROYAL SKALLS. 331 



with intelligence that the King had set off on his return to 

 Stockholm, giving directions, however, that the Colonel 

 Donep, from Cassel, should shoot the ringed bears a 

 female and her three young ones which happened in this 

 wise : that after the above-named Colonel had killed the 

 mother, all the three cubs were taken living, and sent with 

 him to Stockholm ; and thus this Skall ended well and 

 fortunately this time." 



Nos. 36 and 37 " Bear Skalls on the 2nd and 4th 

 of April ; the one took place in the forest of Aby, and parish 

 of Sala ; and the other in the forest of Fornby, and parish of 

 Moklinta. Circumference of the first Ring, one thousand 

 nine hundred and ninety-six paces ; and of the latter, three 

 thousand and sixteen paces. 



" As a peasant, in the parish of Sala, on the 4th day of 

 Christmas, met with a Bjorn-Ide, and the beast sprung 

 up and went his way, of which circumstance I was duly 

 informed, I immediately directed a Jagare to ring the 

 beast for his Majesty's pleasure ; and I was the more induced 

 to do so, as another peasant, in the parish of Moklinta, had 

 just before encircled a she-bear with her two young ones. 

 On being advertised of what had occurred, the King sent me 

 word, that at a future time he would come and shoot the 

 bears himself, and directed that, in the meanwhile, the Rings 

 should be well looked after. But as his Majesty was unable 

 from circumstances to leave Stockholm, I received orders to 

 arrange the Skalls for the beginning of April, when some 

 gentlemen from Cassel would by permission, in his stead, 

 kill the beasts. And on the above-mentioned days namely, 

 the 2nd and 4th of April all the four bears were shot 

 accordingly." 



