BEARS. 19 



the mountains, the thickets of the vast plains, and every creek, river, and bay 

 or bottom. At the present day its habitat is, however, confined to some portions 

 of the various ranges of mountains south of the St. Lawrence River, the Great 

 Lakes, and, east of the Mississippi River, to parts of those portions of the 

 Mississippi River and its tributaries which are yet unsettled, and where it has 

 been able to escape destruction from hunters. Some few are yet found in the 

 dense thickets of the Colorado, Trinity, and Brazor rivers." As with other bears, 

 the male of this species is much larger than the female ; when full grown the 

 former, according to Colonel Alexander, will stand about 3 feet in height, and 

 will often turn the scale at from 600 to 700 Ibs. 



According to Dr. Merriam, the food of the American black bear " consists not 

 only of mice and other small mammals, turtles, frogs, and fish, but also, and 

 largely, of ants and their eggs, bees and their honey, cherries, blackberries, rasp- 

 berries, blueberries, and various other fruits, vegetables, and roots. He sometimes 

 makes devastating raids upon the barn-yard, slaying and devouring sheep, calves, 

 pigs, and poultry." Another writer, Mr. C. C. Ward, states, as the result of his 

 own experience, that the black bear " is growing more carnivorous and discontented 

 with a diet of herbs. Assuredly, he is growing bolder. He is also developing a 

 propensity to destroy more than he can eat, and it is not improbable that his 

 posterity may cease to be frugi-carnivorous. It is fortunate that an animal of the 

 strength and ferocity which he displays when aroused seldom attacks man. The 

 formation of his powerful jaws and terrible canine teeth are well adapted to seize 

 and hold his prey, and his molars are strong enough to crush the bones of an ox. 

 His great strength, however, lies in his fore-arms and paws. His mode of attacking 

 his prey is not to seize it with his teeth, but to strike terrific blows with his fore- 

 paws. His weakness is for pork, and to obtain it he will run any risk. When the 

 fanners, after suffering severe losses at his hands, become unusually alert, he retires 

 to the depths of the forest and solaces himself with a young moose, caribou, or 

 deer. He seldom or never attacks a full-grown moose, but traces of desperate 

 encounters, in which the cow-moose has battled for her offspring, are frequently 

 met with in the woods." Dr. Merriam states that the black bears visit the Adiron- 

 dacks from the wooded districts about twenty miles to the westward in Lewis 

 County during the autumn, crossing a fertile and well-cultivated valley. They 

 are good climbers, but, from their weight, are unable to ascend to the tree-tops or 

 climb far out on the branches, although they will ascend straight stems for a 

 considerable height after honey. They are also excellent swimmers, many being 

 killed while swimming in the lakes. We likewise learn that, as a rule, the black 

 bear hibernates, although its torpor is not deep, and the time of entering upon 

 the winter repose depends upon the severity of the season, and the amount of 

 food-supply. And it appears that the males will remain active in any weather, 

 so long as they can find abundance of food. The female is, however, compelled to 

 seek shelter sooner on account of her prospective family. The winter den of a 

 black bear is generally a partial excavation under the upturned roots of 

 a fallen tree, or beneath a pile of logs, with perhaps a few bushes and leaves 

 scraped together by way of a bed, while to the first snowstorm is left the 

 task of completing the roof and filling the remaining chinks. Not unfrequently 



