HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 277 



quence at once. The flesh of the grisly bear is by 

 no means food to be despised, and the skin forms a 

 comfortable couch for the hunter. 



Besides the Grisly Bear, there are other species of 

 the bear race to be found in California. The common 

 Black Bear is two well known to need a description. 

 The American barren ground bear, is of a lighter 

 color than the common bear, and in its habits, espe- 

 cially in regard to its food, it resembles, in a great 

 degree, the brown bear of Norway. It feeds princi- 

 pally upon fish. The great Polar Bear often makes 

 his appearance on the extreme northern coast of Cali- 

 fornia, but cannot be considered as a California animal. 



POLAR BEAR. 



The Glutton, or Wolverine, which partakes of the 

 nature of the bear, the fox, and the weasel, is well 

 known to the beaver trappers, by the constant annoy- 

 ance to which it subjects them, in devouring their 

 baits, and destroying their traps. It is a savage, 

 sullen creature, and though not formidable to man, it 

 preys upon small animals, and even the deer. Stories 

 are frequently told of the manner in which the wolve- 

 rine entraps the deer, and makes them his prey — by 



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