X88 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



" Notwithstanding it was mentioned a long time since by 

 La Hontan and other writers, it has been but recently estalilish- 

 ed as a distinct species in the works of systematic zoologists. 

 Say was the first to give a full description of it, in the well- 

 known work we have quoted at the head of this article. 

 Two cubs of the Grizzly Bear were sometime since kept at 

 Peale's Philadelphia Museum. When first received they were 

 quite small, but speedily gave indications of that ferocity for 

 which this species is so remarkable. As they increased in size 

 they became exceedingly dangerous, seizing and tearing to 

 pieces every animal they could lay hold of, and expressing 

 extreme eagerness to get at those accidentally brought with- 

 in sight of their cage, by grasping the iron bars with their 

 paws and shaking them violently, to the great terror of specta- 

 tors, who felt insecure while witnessing such displays of their 

 strength. In one instance an unfortunate Monkey was walking 

 over the top of their cage, when the end of the chain which 

 hung from his waist dropped through within reach of the Bears ; 

 they immediately seized it, dragged the screaming animal 

 through the narrow aperture, tore him limb from limb, and 

 devoured his mangled carcass almost instantaneously. At 

 another time, a small Monkey thrust his arm through the Bear 

 cage, one of them immediately seized him, and, with a sudden 

 jerk tore the whole arm and shoulder-blade from the body and 

 devoured it before any one could interfere. They were still 

 cubs, and very little more than half-grown, when their ferocity 

 became so alarming as to excite continual apprehension least 

 they should escape, and they were killed, in order to prevent 

 such an event. * * =i= "yi^q following letter is from the la- 

 mentied Pike, relative to the two Grizzly Bears above mentioned. 

 " ' Washington, Feb. 3d, 1848. 



" ' Sir : — I had the honor of receiving your note last evening, 

 and in reply to the inquiries of Mr. Peale, can only give the 

 following notes : 



" ' The Bears were taken by an Indian in the mountain which 

 divides the western branches of the Rio Del Norte and somo 



