SEPTEMBER. 287 



farmer's fields of maize : when the corn is in that milky state 

 called " roasting ears," so prized for boiling and eating as a 

 table dish, like green peas, or roasting whole on the cob, 

 the bear manifests a singular unity of taste with the farmer, 

 and devours and treads down a large quantity, as he finds no 

 difficulty in climbing over the zig-zag rail fence. I have 

 been told that he repeats his nightly visits to the same field ; 

 and, what is singular, always, on such occasions, mounts the 

 fence, night after night, at the same spot where he got over 

 the first time. The planters take advantage of this regular 

 habit, by fastening to the fence a heavily loaded gun at such 

 an angle that it shall point at the bear's breast as he rises on 

 his hind legs. The identical crossing place is easily known 

 by his great tracks in the soft earth. A stick is attached to 

 the trigger, and this is made fast, at right angles, to a trans- 

 verse stick resting on two forks about breast high, a few 

 inches outside the fence. The bear rears up to put his fore- 

 paws on the rails, and in getting over presses with his breast 

 against the transverse stick, which drives back the trigger, 

 and poor Bruin instantly receives the reward of his dishon- 

 esty. The bear is one of those animals called plantigrade ; 

 that is, he rests the whole sole of the foot on the ground, not 

 walking on tiptoe, as a cat or dog does, which gives him a 

 somewhat heavy, shambling gait, though he contrives to get 

 along with considerable speed. He makes a peculiar kind of 

 sniffing, or whistling sound, and diffuses a rank odour, per 

 ceptible at some distance. 



C. The wolves are again beginning their autumnal 

 depredations ; one was seen a few mornings ago, crossing 

 one of our fields at dawn of day, and their dismal howlings 

 are to be heard at night. 



F. But let us see what Flora has to offer us. 



Here is a simple plant, the Everlasting (Gnaphalium Mar- 

 garitaceum) ; it should be a type of constancy, for it never 



