ii2 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



loyal black bear were familiar figures in the 

 West. The pranks of the bear easily brought 

 drinks enough to enable the cruiser to be drunk 

 most of the time. Many times, when going to 

 my room in the early morning after work on a 

 night shift, I found the cruiser asleep in the 

 street entrance to my lodging house. The faith- 

 ful bear Tar Baby sat by the cruiser's side, 

 patiently waiting for his awakening. 



The black bear has a well-developed brain and 

 may be classed among the alert animals of the 

 wild. Its senses are amazingly developed; they 

 seem to be ever on duty. When a possible 

 enemy is yet a mile or so distant they receive 

 by scent or by sound a threatening and wireless 

 message on the moving or through the stationary 

 air. Therefore it is almost impossible to ap- 

 proach closely a wild bear. 



With the black bear, as with every living thing, 

 every move calls for safety first; and this ex- 

 ceedingly alert animal is among the very first to 

 appreciate a friendly locality. 



The black bear has never been protected as 

 a game animal; through all the seasons of the 

 year, with gun and dogs, the hunter is allowed 

 to pursue him. As he is verging on extinction, 

 and as he gives to the wilds much of its spirit, 

 there ought to be a closed season for a few years 

 to protect this rollicking fellow of the forest. 



