BCIPIO AND THE BEAR. 261 



mud, like a hog, and contents itself with crayfish, roots, 

 and nettles, now and then, when hard pressed by hunger, 

 seizing on a young pig, or perhaps a sow, or even a calf. 

 As soon as the different kinds of berries which grow on 

 the mountains begin to ripen, the Bears betake themselves 

 to the high grounds, followed by their cubs. In such 

 retired parts of the country where there are no hilly 

 grounds, it pays visits to the maize fields, which it rav- 

 ages for awhile. After this, the various species of nuts, 

 acorns, grapes, and other forest fruits, that form what in 

 the western country is called mast, attract its attention. 

 The Bear is then seen rambling singly through the woods 

 to gather this harvest, not forgetting meanwhile to rob 

 every bee-tree it meets with, Bears being, as you well 

 know, expert at this operation. You also know that they 

 are good climbers, and may have been told, or at least 

 may now be told, that the* Black Bear now and then 

 houses itself in the hollow trunks of the larger trees for 

 weeks together, when it is said to suck its paws. You 

 are probably not aware of a habit in which it indulges, 

 and which, being curious, must be interesting to you. 



At one season, the Black Bear may be seen examining 

 the lower part of the trunk of a tree for several minutes 

 with much attention, at the same time looking around, 

 and snuffing the air, to assure itself that no enemy is 

 near. It then raises itself on its hind legs, approache* 

 the trunk, embraces it with its fore legs, and scratches 

 the bark with its teeth and claws for several minutes in 

 continuance. Its jaws clash against each other, until a 

 mans of foam runs down on both sides of the mouth. 

 After this it continues its rambles. 



