THE AMERICAN BLACK BEAR 207 



the little fellows develop a grown-up appetite 

 and commence to rustle for themselves. Not 

 very long after this the old bear drives them off 

 to shift for themselves. In some cases they have 

 been found denning the following fall with their 

 mother, but this is unusual. 



Now a little bear knows exactly what he wants, 

 and what is good to eat just as well as you do. 

 He knows every root, every bulb, every berry 

 that will make him fat and happy. How does he 

 know this? I cannot say; you will have to ask 

 him. When I say this I have in mind the follow- 

 ing case that was brought to my notice : A young 

 cub, only a few weeks old, was caught one spring 

 and fed on milk. He was kept in camp until 

 the following fall when they moved camp down 

 on some bottom lands. Here, while running 

 about, he would suddenly stop, dig up some roots 

 and devour them with a relish. He seemed to be 

 as fully prepared to forage for himself as if he 

 had been taking lessons from his mother all sum- 

 mer. Another much mistaken idea about the 

 black bear is that he emerges from his winter 

 quarters very thin and emaciated (this so far, is 

 true) ; that he is desperately hungry after his 

 long fast; or is terribly ferocious, and inclined 

 to attack anything on sight, man included. This 



