WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 39 



and a push, thrust the heavy, bulky mass aside. 

 She licked the earth a few times, probably to pick 

 up some bugs or ants, and then started on. 



The cubs dropped behind and began digging; 

 they were having a beautiful time. The mother 

 paused, looked, and went back to see what it was all 

 about. They were working with great zest, and 

 she apparently supposed that they had scented 

 something worth while. In the rudest manner 

 she pushed each aside, smelled in the hole, found 

 nothing, and at once started on. The cubs fol- 

 lowed. 



They came so close to me that I thought surely 

 they would either see or scent me, but they passed 

 me by unnoticed and a short distance away found 

 chokecherry bushes on the side of a ravine. The 

 mother bear at once began feasting on the puckery 

 ripe berries. Evidently she cared nothing for con- 

 servation, for she crushed down and bit off the 

 bushes. She rose on her hind feet and with mouth 

 and claws together grasped at the laden ends of the 

 branches. Limb ends, leaves, berries — all were de- 

 voured. 



But chokecherries evidently were a dessert for 

 which her youngsters did not care. The berries 

 may have been new to them. At any rate, two 

 bites satisfied them. The bulging, rounded little 

 stomachs plainly indicated many helpings of other 

 eatables. Even a bear cub can be filled up. 



For a time they lay relaxed in the sun. Then 



