of 



were effervescing round my head. Despite busy 

 arms, they effectively peppered my face, and I 

 fled to a neighboring brook to bathe my wounds. 

 While I was at a safe distance, cogitating as 

 to the wisdom of returning for further examin- 

 ation of the logs, a black bear appeared down 

 the opening. From his actions I realized that he 

 had scented not myself but the feast in the log- 

 pile. After sniffling, pointing, and tip-toeing, he 

 lumbered toward the logs. Of course I was curi- 

 ous as to the manner of his reception and al- 

 lowed him to go unwarned to the feast. Two 

 Rocky Mountain jays gave a low, indifferent 

 call on his approach, but the other birds ignored 

 his coming. With his fore paw he tore a log 

 apart and deftly picked up a number of grubs. 

 All went well until he climbed upon the pile of 

 wreckage and rolled a broken log off the top. 

 This disturbed another wasp feast. Suddenly 

 he grabbed his nose with both fore paws and 

 tumbled off the pile. For a few seconds he was 

 slapping and battling at a lively pace; then, 

 with a woof-f-f-f! he fled straight at me. I 

 made a tangential move. 



180 



