THE BLACK BEAR OF PENNSYLVANIA 21 



ern States and Eastern Canada, the fur and fat are of 

 commercial value and the flesh esteemed for food. 



Bear's oil is a great hair restorer, promoting gloss 

 and vigorous growth. The hard, white fat of the in- 

 terior of the body is the only fat that should be used 

 for the purpose ; but titular "bear's grease has often 

 been only hog's lard, colored and scented to charm 

 the eyes and nostrils of purchasers, and of doubtful 

 benefit to their hair. Thus do the busy promoters of 

 trade in cosmetics throw dust in the eyes and grease 

 the hair of confiding buyers whom they mulct, delude 

 and disappoint regarding one virtue of Bruin's fat ! 



From one 'to four cubs are born, in January or early 

 in February, to each mother bear, which are very 

 small during the first few days of existence, six to 

 eight inches long. The mother furnishes ample nour- 

 ishment for their rapid growth, without taking food 

 or apparent diminution of her condition, while hiber- 

 nating, until spring, taking the best of care of her 

 offspring during summer and preparing winter quar- 

 ters for them near her own winter resort. During 

 the winter another little family is born, and when 

 they issue forth from their den in spring, they are 

 often joined by the year-old cubs during the spring, 

 summer and autumn ; so hunters frequently see droves 

 of bears traveling through (the woods, searching for 

 food. 



The droves frequently follow the same path until a 

 trail is worn and may be seen by observing hunters, 

 who then may find bears along these trails simply by 



