128 GOLOV1NSKY. 



friend was trying to steal a march on him. the 

 irate Stepan heaped all manner of abuse on him, 

 accused him of spoiling the apples by throwing 

 them down ; and, at last, getting no answer, fairly 

 yelled with rage, and began to throw things into 

 the tree. Then the shower of apples ceased, and, 

 with a gruff snort, a huge old bear came tumbling 

 out of the tree, almost on top of the terrified 

 villager. As usual in these cases, Bruin was just 

 as much frightened as the man, and shambled off 

 as quickly as possible, leaving the apples to the 

 friends. 



All the Russians and Tscherkesses with whom 

 I have talked about bears, say there are two kinds 

 in the Caucasus the ordinary big brown bear, and 

 a smaller one, that lives in the higher ranges, has 

 a kind of white shirt-front to his coat, and is 

 much fiercer and more carnivorous than his brown 

 brother. Dr. Radde, however, of the Tiflis Museum, 

 tells me there is only one kind ; and though I have 

 myself seen great variety in the sizes and coats of 

 different individuals killed on the Black Sea coast, 

 I can well believe he is right. Still, I fancy the 

 higher ranges of Transcaucasia are very little 

 known ; and it may well be that a variety of the 

 common bear, differing considerably from the speci- 

 mens found on the coast, is to be met with nearer 

 the snow-line. The peasants tell wonderfully cir- 

 cumstantial stories of their favourite's craft (for, 



