THE BLACK BEAR. 263 



to take great delight in it. Only once have I observed two 

 Bears at it at the same place. It seemed great fun to them 

 to step immediately behind one another, the larger in front, 

 in the same track, which soon becomes a foot or more deep, 

 and presents the same appearance of steppings as those of 

 a drove of hogs in muddy lanes. 



These Bears would push one another around as they got 

 to the end of the track, and each would endeavor to be the 

 first to resume the round, the foremost looking behind it, to 

 see what the rear one was doing, several times before it got 

 to the beginning-point, Once I saw them rear up like two 

 dogs at play, with fore paws over the other's shoulders. 



When a Bear comes to these stepping-places, it appears 

 very timid -looks in every direction to discover some ani- 

 mal, and sometimes crouches to the ground to listen better. 

 Then, if satisfied by hearing no noise and observing no 

 unusual object, it sniffs the wind in every direction, to 

 locate a scent, and when entirely satisfied that all is right, 

 begins its promenade. When tired, or when it is time to 

 seek its lair, it trudges slowly away. 



To be successful, the hunter must be assured of the side 

 on which the Bear comes to its stepping-grounds, and then 

 be certain to be there sufficiently long before the Bear will 

 come to the place, not to be scented by it. He must be 

 cautious to ascertain the direction of the wind, and take 

 that position on the side of the steppings near enough to 

 make a deadly shot, and yet not too close, lest the Bear 

 scent him. That position should be near the opposite end 

 of the steppings from which the Bear begins to step, so 

 that he may take advantage of the momentary halt that a 

 Bear makes as he turns around to retrace his steps; and 

 with a double-barrel No. 12 hammerless gun, grasped as if 

 in a vise, stock firmly pressed to shoulder, forefinger ready 

 to touch the left trigger at that particular moment, and 

 with an ounce and a quarter ball, driven by three and three- 

 fourths drams of powder, with a rising aim, about two to 

 three inches back of shoulder, four inches below backbone, 

 he will assuredly drop the Bear dead in its tracks; or, should 



