now TO IIUXT AXD TRAP THE BEAR. 51 



this ; sometimes they take up their quarters in a hollow 

 tree, climbing up and letting themselves down inside, and 

 s'ometimes they have a hole scooped out of the earth, and 

 have a great lot of stuiF gathered to stop the mouth of 

 the hole, drawing it after them as they go in. If mast 

 and nuts arc plenty in the fall, they will go in fat and will 

 not get any poorer. They lie and suck their paws all 

 ^^-inter. 



It is here that they bring forth their cubs, from two to 

 three hi number. AYhen they first come out in the early 

 spring, the cubs are about the size of large kittens. They 

 make a crying noise, very much like a little baby. The 

 mother will defend them to the last, and it is very danger- 

 ous to offend her if not well prepared. If the bear is 

 taken when young, it is easily domesticated and taught 

 many tricks. 



After the snow has fallen, if you come across a bear's 

 track, follow it up, and sooner or later you v/ill trace him 

 to his den. If this is a cave in the earth, you can block 

 it up with logs of wood until you are prepared to kill him. 



One mode of trapping tlic bear is as follows : Go to 

 that part of the wood that is frequented by bears and 

 cut some logs about six feet long. Lay three of them 

 down parallel, occupying a space of about six feet wide 

 from outside to outside. Then lay other logs across these 

 close together, as you would lay a corduroy-road, and pin 

 them down to the sleepers thorouglily. Then lay up four 

 sides, cob-house fashion, two feet high, thoroughly })inned 



