141 



born in early spring, after which the females are said to be somewhat 

 dangerous, especially if surprised when with their cubs ; but at other 

 times both sexes are arrant cowards. They will not even molest one 

 when sleeping, but will always avoid the presence of man when aware 

 of it. I have made my bed in a bear path and, in the morning, found 

 by the tracks made by them in the night that they made a wide cir- 

 cuit rather than pass near me. 



The food of the Florida bears is variable. During the early winter 

 they feed on the berries of the common and the saw palmettoes ; later 

 in the season they eat the tender new growth, or buds, of the above 

 mentioned plants ; for this purpose they will climb the tallest palmetto 

 and with their strong claws will tear out the "cabbage, "as the new 

 growth is sometimes called, and eagerly devour it. The removing of 

 this bud is no easy task even to an experienced person provided with 

 an axe, yet Bruin's great strength enables him to force the tough leaf- 

 stalks asunder with the greatest of ease. Trees which have been 

 treated in this rough manner invariably die and a large number may 

 be seen in this condition in any cabbage swamp. 



When the king or horseshoe crabs come on shore to deposit their 

 spawn, the bears resort to the shore and, after turning the crustaceans 

 over, scoop out their softer parts. They are also aware of the time 

 when the sea turtle lay, and during the months of June and July walk 

 the beaches nightly and devour the eggs. Indeed, so persistently do 

 they hunt for them that it is almost impossible to find a nest that has 

 been undisturbed. 



The bears of this state are fully as large as those from New Eng- 

 land, and the hair is as dark colored. I have also seen skins that 

 were but little inferior to northern ones in woolliness, but generally 

 they are only covered with hair. One which I procured at Dummett's 

 in the winter of 1869 is singularly marked, for it has brownish lines 

 starting from the point of each shoulder and extending down the legs 

 on the inside. The other portion of the hair is black. The young 

 for a year or two are strongly inclined to reddish-brown. The bears 

 inhabit the entire portion of the mainland, but are seldom found on 

 the Keys. 



CERVID^E. 



11. Cariacus Virginianus GRAY. 

 Common Deer. 



Very numerous in almost all sections. The deer of Florida are not 

 likely to be exterminated very soon, not only because of their abun- 

 dance, but because the inhabitants do not kill them wantonly, know- 

 ing that they are extremely valuable to them for food, and the tourists 

 who possess sufficient skill to capture any number of them are scarce. 



