276 THE BEAR FAMILY 



legs than lean ones. In the days of Lewis and Clark 

 and Bonneville the grizzly was common on the plains as 

 well as in the mountains, but he is now found only in 

 wooded hills and mountains and is abundant only at a 

 distance from civilization. They are probably more 

 plentiful in British America and Alaska than else- 

 where. The powerful limbs of the grizzly indicate 

 great strength. He has been known to kill elk and 

 buffalo as well as horses and domestic cattle. Like the 

 brown bear the grizzly eats a great variety of food. 

 He is fond of the flesh of all animals, especially pigs, 

 and eats fish when he can procure them. Although 

 classed as a carnivorous animal its food consists largely 

 of mast, nuts, roots, fruit, berries, honey, and insects. 



The flesh of this bear is edible but he is not hunted 

 on that account, but rather for the excitement incident 

 to the chase and the fine trophy — his pelt and claws. 



The grizzly is more agile than one would suppose 

 when looking at him at rest, or pacing about in a cage. 

 He goes into action with remarkable speed. He is 

 said to prefer pigs, sheep, and cattle to game, since he 

 can capture the former with less effort. 



The cougar, or mountain lion, is the only wild ani- 

 mal said to encounter successfufl)^ the grizzly bear. 

 This seems doubtful, although often stated. Traps for 

 bears are often baited with elk or deer, and such bait, 

 without the trap, is often left in the woods by sports- 

 men who visit it from time to time, in the hope of get- 

 ting a shot. Tinsley says : " The grizzly bears w^ere so 

 numerous in California that as late as 1862, when Le- 

 land Stanford was Governor of California, a bounty of 

 ten dollars was given by the State for each grizzly-bear 



