The Black Bear. 



57 



BEAR AND CUBS. 



width as it descended. While debating with myself what to do 

 next, the guide's head appeared at the bottom of the opening. He 

 called to me to come down. Entering in a recumbent position, feet 

 foremost, I slipped down and discovered that the passage led into 

 another chamber-like space, with the difference that it was in open 

 daylight, the sky being visible beyond an overhanging ledge of 

 rocks. The rocky platform was strewn with bones, and plentifully 

 sprinkled with porcupine quills. The information of the guide was 

 not needed to convince me that we were in the ante-chamber of a 

 bear's den, and that the room above was the den proper. It seems 

 almost incredible that the black bear should permit such an offensive 

 animal as the porcupine to occupy the same den with him, but there 

 is good reason to believe that he sometimes does so. Although it 

 was too early in the season for Bruin to seek permanent winter 

 quarters, I did not feel at all certain that he might not pay occasional 

 visits to his den, and urged the guide to get out of the place as soon 

 as possible. As there was likely to be more than one entrance to 

 the den, we looked about us and discovered that, by climbing over a 

 jutting ledge of rock, we should be able to get upon a lower and 



