268 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



THE CRUMBS WHICH FELL FROM BRUIN'S MOUTH 

 as he chewed the chestnuts. Bruin had not oc- 

 cupied the same position while feeding, and con- 

 sequently the crumbs were strewn over a yard 

 or more of the ground. 



Slyly the cock approached, picking greedily at 

 the crumbs but keeping his weather eye upon the 

 bear. The bear did not appear to see the chicken 

 but no sooner had the unfortunate fowl come 

 within reach than the bear gave a left hook swing 

 which sent the rooster through the air for about 

 twenty feet where it struck with a "swat" against 

 a shed and fell dead on the ground. It was a 

 most skillful and terrific blow and taught me to 

 respect a bear's ability as a boxer, but Bruin did 

 not seem to think that he had done anything 

 worthy of notice, and when I turned from the 

 chicken to the bear, the latter was calmly holding 

 out his powerful paw in a supplicating pose dumbly 

 asking for more chestnuts. 



MEETING A BIG BEAR IN THE SUBURBS OF 

 CINCINNATI. 



Once when surveying a section line on the Lower 

 River Road in Cincinnati, I had my instrument 

 planted on the top of the hill and had sent a flag- 

 man down to plant his red and white painted staff 

 on a marked stone so that I might get the line. 

 It was a long sight and I was following the flag- 

 man with the telescope of the instrument when 

 I was surprised to see him give a jump, drop his 



