AMERICAN BEARS 



27 



any of the small rodents from their burrows ; he will 

 even catch and eat grasshoppers where they are very 

 plenty, or big mountain locusts that are indifferent 

 hoppers. He will eat some fruits, various berries, and 

 the soft, green grass in the open parts of the mountain. 

 Except when young, this bear is not a tree-climber, as 

 he is altogether too heavy and clumsy ; but it is re- 

 markable how quickly he can get about, if he chooses. 

 Especially is this the case with the she-bear in the spring, 



A GRIZZLY IN CAPTIVITY 



Figure 8. Superintendent Ned Hollister, of the National Zoological Park, 

 Washington, D. C, kindly supplied this fine photograph of a big 

 Grizzly; it represents one of Uncle Sam's treasured animal possessions. 



when she has her cubs with her ; and, unless a man is 

 very powerful, very agile, clear-headed, possessed of 

 nerve, knows a Grizzly, is armed with a heavy, modern 

 rifle, and a crack shot under all circumstances, it would 

 be safer for him to keep well away from an old she-bear. 

 One of the most interesting experiences I ever had 

 with a Grizzly was during the summer of '77, and it 

 occurred in the northern foothills of the Big Horn Moun- 

 tains, in the dry bed of a stream called Wolf Creek. At 

 that time I was surgeon with some of the Fifth and 

 Third Cavalry, and they had been in camp for a number 

 of weeks on the plains, about twelve miles north of the 

 stream mentioned. The Sioux Indians were giving us a 

 good deal of trouble, and practically had us temporarily 

 penned in. They were shooting every courier we sent 

 out, and ambushing every one else who tried to reach 

 us. Big game was more or less abundant in the neigh- 

 borhood, and somebody was obliged to get it, even at 

 the risk of life. Days had passed, and I had been par- 



ticularly unfortunate in keeping up my end of the record 

 so much so that a good deal of fun was being poked 

 at me by the members of the mess and my brother of- 

 ficers in camp. Of course the men and the Indian 

 scouts did not say anything ; still, a few of them "looked 

 a heap." I was becoming a little nervous under the 

 treatment, though I had made up my mind to take the 

 punishment, rather than give up the chances of finally 

 bagging something. In this frame of mind, I was lying 

 in my tent one morning, just before the peep of day or 

 about an hour before sun-up, and once more I was 

 seized with the fever to sally out and try it; so, before 

 the desire wore off, I was up and dressed, and found 

 myself making hasty strides in the direction of Wolf 

 Creek, armed with an officer's carbine, a knife, a belt 

 of cartridges, and an army revolver. I had standing 

 permission to make these trips, so long as I did not un- 

 necessarily expose myself to danger from hostile Indians 



WINTER COAT OF A GRIZZLY 



Figure 9. Another fine picture of one of the big Grizzlies of the 

 Washington "Zoo," supplied by Mr. Hollister, to be used in this article- 

 It was taken in the winter, at a time when this animal is hibernating 

 in nature. Note what a magnificent coat it has. 



and returned to sick-call at seven in the morning. This 

 gave me about three hours ; but even then, one might 

 run into deer, bear, buffalo, or almost anything else 

 in that locality. 



When about half a mile out of camp, I took to the 

 scanty timber and undergrowth that skirted the banks 

 of the creek coming from the foothills, and into which 

 Wolf Creek formerly flowed. Cautiously I followed up 

 the game paths, and with the utmost care peered into 

 every nook and place where a deer might have spent 

 the night, or a bear foraging for what he could find. 

 Every once In a 'while I would stand still in a likely 



