138 THE ART OF TRAINING ANIMALS. 



remain so for about eight or nine days. With care they can be 

 raised even if taken when only four or five days old. The black 

 bear attains his full size when eight or nine years old. 



Bears like many other animals have been called upon to lend 

 their aid in theatrical displays. A frightful scene occurred 

 some twenty years ago at the theater of Czerny^ in Bohemia, 

 during the performance of a melo-drama, called the " Bear of 

 the Mountains/' the principal performer in which was a bruin 

 of such wonderful docility and dramatic talent, that for a long 

 succession of nights he attracted overflowing audiences. On 

 this occasion, however, somethmg had put this star out of hu- 

 mor, and he was observed to be wanting in those brilliant dis- 

 plays of the histrionic art which had previously overwhelmed him 

 with applause. In the third act, instead of coming down the 

 mountains by a winding path, with the slow and solemn step, as 

 set down in the prompter's book, he alighted on the stage at one 

 bound. 



On his return behind the scenes he received reproofs, which, 

 instead of improving, made his temper still more sullen ; and it 

 was with difficulty he could be prevailed on to go through his 

 part. In the last scene he was induced to commence a waltz 

 with a young and lieautiful peasant girl, and schemed to take so 

 much enjoyment in the dance, that the whole audience were 

 raised from their seats, and, standing on the benches, drowned 

 the sounds of a powerful orchestra with their acclamations of 

 praise and delight. 



In a moment, however, the joyous spectacle was changed in- 

 to one of horror ; a piercing shriek was heard above all the 

 combination of noises; the stage was one moment in the utmost 

 confusion, and the next was clear of every performer except the 

 bear, who appeared with his muzzle, unfastened, and hanging 

 around his neck ; and after making a wide display of his tremen- 

 dous gullet, leaped into the orchestra, wiiich, as may be easily 

 img^gined, was as vacant as the stage. The flight of the audi- 

 ence was equally as quick, but the consequences more serious. 

 Numbers were severely crushed and bruised in the struggle at 

 the doors, and several were dreadfully injured by being thrown 

 down and trampled upon. After a pause, a platoon of soldiers 

 went into the pit with fixed bayonets and loaded barrels, and 

 ordered to bring out the cause of all the evil, dead or alive; but 

 they found him, like other great actors who have performed 

 their parts and become exhausted by their exertions, taking his 

 repose on one of the benches, and incapable or unwilling to 

 make any resistance. 



The performances of bears consist almost entirely of natural 



