800 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



are very abundant. These beasts tben feed 

 upon tbem, tearing down the branches as far as 

 they can reach whilst standing in an upright 

 posture. They in this manner get at wild 

 plums, service berries, buffalo berries, and the 

 seeds of a species of cornus or dog-wood which 

 grows in the alluvial bottoms of the northwest. 

 The grizzly bear is also in the habit of scratch* 

 ing the gravelly earth on the sides of hills where 

 the vegetable called " pomme blanche" is known 

 to grow, but the favourite food of these animals 

 is the more savoury flesh of such beasts as are 

 less powerful, fleet, or cunning than themselves. 

 They have been known to seize a wounded 

 buffalo, kill it, and partially bury it in the earth 

 for future use, after having gorged themselves 

 on the best parts of its flesh and lapped up the 

 warm blood. 



We have heard many adventures related, 

 wliich occurred to hunters either when suiprised 

 by these bears, or when approaching them with 

 the intention of shooting them. A few of these 

 accounts, which we believe are true, we will in- 

 troduce : during a voyage (on board one of the 

 steamers belonging to the American Fur Com- 

 pany) up the Missouri river, a large she-bear 

 with two young was observed from the deck, 

 and several gentlemen proposed to go ashore, 

 kill the dam, and secure her cubs. A small 



