41 



BEAR. 



Grizzly Bear (Ursiis horribilis). — There are but few places on 

 the mainland where there is not a chance of running across a grizzly, 

 but they are never found on Vancouver Island, or any of the other 

 islands. They ^•ary a great deal in colour, size, and shape of claws, 

 and also in their habits, according to local conditions, and are known 

 by several different names, but that they are entitled to rank as different 

 species is doubtful. In the Selkirks and Rockies they are of medium 

 size, and are generally of the silver-tip colour when in full pelage, and 

 are then the choicest of all grizzlies ; they also have the long blunt 

 claws, and their main habitat is fairly high in the mountains, seldom 

 being seen in the valleys, except in the north, where they come down 

 to fish salmon. As you get nearer the coast they appear to increase 

 in size and become of browner colour, until, actually on the coast, 

 the grizzly bear has a strong resemblance to the northern brown bear 

 of the Alaskan coast. These coast grizzlies also dift'er from those of 

 the interior in that they live a great deal in the valleys, and are 

 occasionally to be met with on the salt-water beaches. 



In the interior of Cassiar a big grizzly is uncommon, the majority 

 of them not being much larger than good-sized black bears; they are 

 also much lighter in colour, often almost yellow. As you descend the 

 Stikine they become much larger, until close to the boundary-line they 

 actually seem to merge into the Alaskan brown bear. 



Now, with regard to the best places to hunt them, the heads of 

 any of the long inlets on the coast are good, but it is generally 

 advisable to get some little distance back from the sea. In the 

 interior all along the eastern slope of the Cascades grizzly are to be 

 found; Lytton, Lillooet, and Hope are three of the best outfitting- 

 places. In the spring the Selkirks and the Rockies are good almost 

 anywhere, and you can outfit at any of the following places : Revel- 

 stoke, Golden, Nelson, Kaslo. Cranbrook, Fernie, and Michel. In the 

 fall, when the salmon are running, the Cariboo District is excellent; 

 outfit at Quesnel, Barkerville, or Fort George. 



Black Bear (Ursus americaiins). — The so-called black beac. 

 which frequently varies in colour from yellowish to glossy black, is 

 to be found almost everywhere, and is especially numerous on the 

 coast, where it has a better pelage than that of the interior. In the 

 fall, when the salmon are running, they may be found on almost any 

 small stream, and at this time live almost entirely on these fish. There 

 are numbers of them all over \'ancouver Island, but they are more 

 numerous on the coast of the mainland north of Queen Charlotte 

 Sound. 



