THE BLACK BEAR. 



By CHARLES C. WARD. 



THE black bear ( Ursus A mericanus) derives its name from its fur, 

 which is a rich, warm, and extremely glossy jet black, except 

 on the muzzle, where, beginning at the mouth, the hair is a 

 fawn color, which deepens into the dark tan color of the face, and 

 ends in rounded spots over each eye. These color-marks and its 

 peculiarly convex facial outline are the distinguishing marks of the 

 species. The tan color becomes, with age, a brownish gray. The 

 largest black bear I ever saw weighed five hundred and twenty- three 

 pounds, and measured six feet and four inches from the tip of the 

 nose to the root of the tail. One of this species seems to possess 

 the power of transforming himself at will into a variety of shapes. 

 When stretched out at length, he appears very long ; when in good 

 condition, short and stout ; when upright, tall ; and when asleep, he 

 looks like a ball of glossy black fur. The black bear of to-day may 

 be termed omnivorous, inasmuch as fish, flesh, fowl, vegetables, fruit, 

 and insects are all eagerly devoured by him. He mates in October, 

 and the period of gestation lasts about one hundred and twenty days. 

 Two to four cubs form a litter. The cubs are always jet black, and 

 not ash color, as s6me of the older naturalists affirm. If, according 

 to Flourens, the natural life of an animal be five times the period of 

 its growth to maturity, I should think that the black bear's limit was 

 about twenty years. I knew of a cub which increased in size until 

 his fourth year, when he appeared to have arrived at maturity. 



Many country people and some experienced hunters have seen, 

 as they believe, another species of the black bear, which they name 

 a ranger, or racer. He is described as being a longer, taller, and 



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