BLACK BEAR. 141 



found a young bear, the size of a badger, treed in a six- 

 inch sapling. Where was the mother ? Answer says, 

 " Don't know ; " for young Bruin, after a vixenish 

 fight, was secured, and, although half-an-hour elapsed 

 in the operation, the old lady still remained non est. 



It is very common for bears to be killed after they 

 have retired to their dormitory for the winter sleep. 

 When living near Lake Couchachin, in Canada, I 

 assisted on such an occasion. An Indian from Rama 

 came to me in great haste, with the hope I would sell 

 him some ammunition. From his earnestness and 

 anxiety I knew that he had made a valuable discovery, 

 which, after a little higgling, was disclosed. He had 

 found a bear's retreat in a hollow log, nearly imbedded 

 in snow, and the ammunition was for poor Bruin's de- 

 struction. 



Stipulating that I should have a share of the sport, I 

 supplied the ammunition, and we started. The distance 

 was short. Mr. Chippewa Indian knocked on the log, 

 and the writer stood at the entrance. Poor Bruin at 

 length forsook his snug retreat, yawning and looking 

 stupid as he emerged into daylight, when a bullet at less 

 than five yards settled the matter. When a bear is 

 thus housed in a log a heavy vapour of steam, should 

 the weather be calm, perceptibly hangs over it. 



Many naturalists for years considered this species 



