152 THE AMERICAN BLACK BEAR. 



and rolls to the groimd. He then generally runs off 

 into the forest ; but this is only a short retreat, and as 

 soon as the smart of the sting has abated, the bear re- 

 turns witii increased appetite to the attack, seldom 

 leaving the tree whilst any honey remains. Some old 

 hunters go so far as to assert that he rolls himself in 

 mud before attackino- the bees, thus assuminor an armour 

 impervious to their stings. 



The bear is also fond of pork. A sucking-pig is his 

 delight, though, if the porker of tender years is not 

 easily procurable, he will not scruple to regale himself 

 with a hog of mature age and size. This partiality for 

 pork often leads Bruin into fatal mishaps ; for the pig 

 naturally objects to be eaten alive, and its shrill cries 

 often awakens its owner, who calls his dogs, and with a 

 bullet from his rifle settles accounts with the bear. 



The Indians in former times had a special veneration 

 for the bear. Their peculiar system of theology, if it 

 may so be called, taught them that the inferior races 

 of animals were possessed of souls as well as men. 

 They therefore attributed to the bear a kind of homo- 

 geneous sympathy with themselves, and performed 

 many ceremonious rites before hunting him ; purifying 

 themselves and offering up numerous sacrifices. 



The black bear does not arrive at its full gro^vth till 

 it has attained an age of six or seven years, when it 

 has been known to reach the enormous weio-ht of six 

 hundred pounds. 



