BEARS 63 



mother's head. They swam vigorously, the 

 mother from time to time turning her head 

 towards us, growling and snapping when it 

 perceived the boat overtaking it. Merit e 

 photographed the couple from every possible 

 point of view ; then, as they neared the neigh- 

 bouring floe, I deemed it was time to finish the 

 business, and, permitting them to get well in 

 advance, fired and lodged a ball behind the 

 mother's ear. She stretched herself full length 

 in the water and remained motionless. The 

 cub plunged forward. A few seconds later, 

 without having removed my gun from my 

 shoulder, I shot it also behind the ear. 



The most remarkable thing I observed 

 during the chase was the presence of a large 

 number of petrels, who circled in the air above 

 the heads of the bears as though they already 

 regarded them as certain prey. Hardly were 

 the animals dead before the birds settled on 

 them, and commenced feeding on the blood 

 and fat that escaped from the wounds. 



When the siren had called the men aboard, 

 I learned that the battue had been conducted 

 without difficulty. Bergendhal, stumbling on 

 the bears hidden behind a hummock, had fired 

 into the air and frightened them. The animals 

 fled away to the right, where a sailor confronted 



