182 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OF ANIMALS. CHAP. VI. 



comparatively small in more temperate countries. But 

 even there the inhabitants are exposed to others equally 

 deadly, under an extraordinary pressure of hunger, with 

 those of Africa and India. We allude to the families 

 of bears and wolves ; from whose depredations the in- 

 habitants of this island formerly suffered, and both of 

 which are devourers of mankind. 



(198.) With regard to bears,, however, the preced- 

 ing observations must be understood with some limit- 

 ation, since several of the species, particularly some 

 inhabiting India, live mostly on vegetables ; and the 

 black bear of America does not eat animal food by 

 choice.* The Barren Ground bear of the northern 

 regions is much dreaded, even by the intrepid hunters of 

 that country, which, they assert, will attack travellers 

 without provocation. The grisly bear is still more 

 formidable ; and is distinguished from others by its. 

 great strength and ferocity, and its carnivorous dis- 

 position.f Dr. Richardson authenticates a distressing 

 story of one of these ferocious animals springing upon 

 a boat's crew assembled on shore, at twilight, over their 

 fire, seizing one of the party, and carrying him off 

 leisurely : the unfortunate man, however, had presence 

 of mind sufficient to call to his companions to shoot the 

 bear, regardless of the risk of killing himself: one of 

 them immediately took a deliberate aim, and, pro- 

 videntially, with effect, for the savage beast immediately 

 fell; and although the poor sufferer was almost squeezed 

 to death, he finally recovered. : This animal must 

 have been sorely pressed for food ; for another traveller 

 in the same country informs us, that although, upon 

 his botanical excursions, he frequently got sight of the 

 grisly bears, and even, upon turning the angle of a 

 rock, would come suddenly upon them, yet, if he 

 showed no disposition to attack them, they suffered him 

 to pass unhurt. " On such occasions they reared on 

 their hind legs, and made a loud noise, like a .person 



* North. Zool vol. ii. p. 15. i Id. ibid. p. 8k 



$ Ibid. vol.,i. p. 27. 



