NATURAL HISTORY. 2/>7 



white, and always remain so. There are also bears 

 whose skins are a mixture of brown and black, which 

 denotes an intermediate species between the white 

 land-bear and the brown or black bear. 



We meet with the brown bear very frequently, and 

 with the black bear very rarely, on the Alps. In the 

 forests of the northern countries of Europe and Ame- 

 rica, on the contrary, the black bear is very common. 

 The former is both iierce and carnivorous ; the latter 

 is only fierce, and constantly refuses to eat flesh. 



The bear is not only a savage but a solitary animal ; 

 he takes refuge in the most unfrequented parts, and the 

 most dangerous precipices of uninhabited mountains. 

 He makes his den in the most gloomy parts of the fo- 

 rest, in some cavern that has been hollowed by time, 

 or in the hollow of some old enormous tree. Thither 

 he retires alone, and passes a part of the winter with- 

 out provisions, or without ever stirring abroad. He 

 is not, however, entirely deprived of sensation, like 

 the dormouse, or the marmot, but seems rather to sub- 

 sist upon the exuberance of his former flesh, and only 

 feels the calls of appetite, when the fat he had acquir- 

 ed in summer is wasted. 



When this happens, which, we are told, it generally 

 does after forty or fifty days, the male forsakes his den; 

 but the female remains confined for four months, till 

 she has brought forth her young. That the latter 

 should not only be able to subsist but even to nurse 

 their offspring, without taking any food during that 

 time, is, I think, highly improbable. When with 

 young, however, it is allowed that they are exceeding- 

 ly fat, as also, that, being covered with a very thick 

 coat, sleeping the greatest part of their time, and tak- 



