THE BEAR. 259 



figure and its color, seem to proceed from the coldness of 

 the climate where it resides, and the nature of the food 

 it is supplied with. 



The number of these animals that are found about the 

 north pole, if we consider the scarcity there of all other 

 terrestrial creatures, is very amazing. They are not only 

 seen on land, but often on ice-floats, several leagues at sea. 

 They are often transported in this manner to the very 

 shores of Iceland, where they no sooner land, but all the 

 natives are in arms to receive them. It often happens, 

 that when a Greenlander and his wife are paddling out at 

 sea, by coming too near an ice-float, a white bear unex- 

 pectedly jumps into their boat, and if he does not overset 

 it, sits camly where he first came down, and, like a pas- 

 senger, suffers himself to be rowed along. It is probable 

 the poor little Greenlander is not very fond of his new 

 guest ; however, he makes a virtue of necessity, and hos- 

 pitably rows him to shore. 



THE BLACK BEAR. (Ursus Americanus, DESM.) This 

 animal is found in considerable numbers, in the northern 

 districts of America. In size and form he approaches 

 nearest to the brown bear; but his color is a uniform shi- 

 ning jet black, except on the muzzle, where it is fawn 

 colored ; on the lips and sides of the mouth it is almost 

 gray. The hair, except on the muzzle, is long and straight, 

 and is less shaggy than in most other species. The fore- 

 head has a slight elevation, and the muzzle is elongated, 

 and somewhat flattened above. The young ones, how- 

 ever, are first of a bright ash color, which gradually 

 changes into a deep brown, and ends by becoming a deep 

 black. 



The American black bear lives a solitary life in forests 

 and uncultivated deserts, and subsists on fruits, and on the 

 young shoots and roots of vegetables. Of honey he is ex- 

 ceedingly fond, and, as he is a most expert climber, he 

 scales the loftiest trees in search of it. Fish, too, he de 



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