THE RACOON. 413 



animal has taken up her residence in her new abode, she is effectually concealed from 

 observation by the heavy snow-drifts, which cover the whole country with such strangely- 

 shaped hills and valleys that the Bear's den is entirely undiscoverable by the eye. 

 Sometimes the Bear will wait until a heavy fall of snow has taken place, and then will 

 dig away the snow so as to form a cavern of the requisite size. In all cases, the snow 

 appears to be a necessary element in the wellbeing of the animal during its long 

 winter's repose. If the female Bear should not be about to take upon herself the cares 

 of maternity, she does not think herself bound to lie hidden during the winter, but 

 traverses the ice-fields together with the male, and becomes very fat during the cold 

 months of the year. These nomad individuals do not confine their peregrinations to 

 the sea-shore, but extend their journeys inland to a considerable distance, being some- 

 times found as far as thirty miles from the sea-coast. 



The young of the Nennook are generally two in number ; and when they make their 

 first appearance outside the snow-built nursery in which their few months of existence 

 have been passed, are about the size of shepherds' dogs, and in excellent condition. 

 Their mother, however, is sadly reduced by her long fast and the calls which have been 

 made upon her by her offspring ; so that she re-enters the world in a very poor condi- 

 tion of aspect and temper, as might be expected of so ravenous and hungry an animal. 

 Watchful over the safety of her cubs, and unburdened by any superfluous flesh she is 

 a very dangerous personage to be casually met with ; for she is so savage with hunger 

 that her temper is in a constant state of irritation ; and she is so jealous of the safety 

 of her offspring that she suspects every moving object to be an enemy. 



The flesh of the Polar Bear is eatable, and is highly esteemed by the Arctic voyagers, 

 who eagerly welcome a supply of fresh and wholesome meat such as is furnished by 

 the animal in question. It is said, however, that the liver ought to be avoided as an 

 article of diet, as it is apt to cause painful and even dangerous symptoms to those who 

 have partaken of it. Yet the liver of the American Black Bear is said to be a peculiar 

 luxury when dressed on skewers, kabob fashion,with alternate slices of fat. 



IT will be observed, after the perusal of the foregoing pages, that the Bears are found 

 in almost every part of the world, with two notable exceptions, viz., Africa and 

 Australia. With regard to the latter of these countries, it may be remembered that the 

 entire creation, whether animal or vegetable, is of so strange a nature that it cannot be 

 subjected to the rules which govern the rest of the world. There is, it is true, a tree- 

 climbing creature in Australia, of a somewhat clumsy and ursine aspect, which is 

 popularly called the Australian Bear, but which is in reality no Bear at all, but a 

 member of the curious family of the Macropidae, which contains the kangaroos, bandi- 

 coots, and opossums, and will be shortly described in its proper place under the title 

 of the Koala. With regard to the African continent, the existence or non-existence of 

 Bears is by no means decided. 



Many of the ancient historians make constant mention of African Bears. Juvenal, 

 for instance, speaks of Numidian Bears, Virgil and Martial of Libyan Bears, while it is 

 recorded in the annals of the Roman empire, that in the year B. c. 61, a hundred 

 Numidian Bears were exhibited in the circus, each Bear led by a negro-hunter. None, 

 however, of the later African travellers have clearly seen Bears in that country, and it 

 is certain that from the days of Pliny up to the present time no true Bears have been 

 found in Africa. Still it is very possible that these animals may be yet discovered in 

 that vast continent ; for there seems to be no reason why Bears should be unable to 

 exist in some parts of so large a country, although they might not be able to find sub- 

 sistence in those portions which have already been investigated. 



PRESERVING somewhat of the ursine aspect and much of the ursine habits, the 

 RACOON, or MAPACH, as it is sometimes named, is an active, spirited, and amusing ani- 

 mal. As it is readily tamed, although rather subject to occasional infirmity of temper, 

 and is inquisitive, quaint, and lively withal, it is a great favorite with such persons as 

 have kept it in captivity. 



