56 .SV'OK TING A D VENTURES 



squirrels, and oilier small animals. Its presence may be 

 readily detected in the woods during 1 the summer by the large 

 number of berries stripped ofT the bushes, and the torn condi- 

 tion of the soil where it has been digging for roots. In the 

 far north-west it frequents thickets where a species of buck- 

 thorn (Frangula pnrshlana} grows, find devours its fruit with 

 great gusto, though to man it proves a violent cathartic. I 

 have seldom known a bear to attack other animals of large 

 size unless provoked to do so by hunger, and when that was 

 appeased it relapsed into its usual harmless condition. This 

 quiet disposition is readily accounted for by its dental forma- 

 tion, for that proves at once that nature intended it to live 

 principally on fruits, vegetables, and roots. Its greatest 

 weakness of appetite seems to be a fondness for honey, and 

 to obtain that it will face the attacks of all the bees on 

 caith, even if they should cause its muzzle to swell to the 

 size of a small balloon. Having a very sweet tooth, it is 

 also attached to sugar, and I have seen two of them tight 

 in the most vicious manner for a lump so small that an 

 ant would almost scorn to notice it. I used, at one time, 

 to enjoy keenly sending a brace of cubs racing up a tree for 

 a piece of sugar or honey, and when they reached the spot in 

 which it was concealed, they would commence growling, 

 moaning, and quarreling if they did not secure it at once. 

 Whichever got it first ran away with it, but the other resented 

 such selfishness, and attacked its companion energeticallv for 

 displaying such a low trait. If they were not fighting about 

 sugar they were sure to be about something else, especially if 

 it was anything edible. To give one food and overlook the 

 other would cause the neglected one to indulge in moaning 

 growls of rage and envy. The opposite sexes quarrel as 

 readily as the males during feeding time, for gallantry seems 

 to be an attribute foreign to a bear's nature. "Whatever 

 affection the animal may possess belongs entirely to the 

 female, for she is kind to her young, and will sometimes fight 

 bravely in then 1 defence,, or sincerely mourn their loss should 

 the hunter kill them. The only time when she is really 

 dangerous i.- when she is accompanied by her cubs, for she 



