THE BROWN BEAR. 51 







faces, more or less blunt, and, as they are not retractile, they 

 are constantly and wholly exposed. Their tails are so extremely 

 short, that they are almost concealed among the adjacent long fur. 



The walk of the bear is of that kind which zoologists term 

 plantigrade; that is to say, that at each step they apply the 

 full expanse of the sole of the paw to the ground, instead of the 

 heel touching the ground before the toes reach the surface. 

 Hence the broad and heavy paws of the bear seem to pat or slap 

 the earth at every step. 



They dig caves or construct huts for their residences, in which 

 they pass the winter in a state of slumber, and without taking 

 any food. 



THE BROWN BEAR inhabits the Alps, the mountain forests of 

 Bohemia, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Siberia, Kamtschatka, and 

 Japan, and a considerable portion of the northern regions of 

 America. He is not often found in poor hilly countries, his 

 favourite haunts being in the wildest recesses of the forest, 

 where there are morasses and plenty of fruit. 



The average length of the brown bear is about four feet, and 

 its height about two feet and a half. His forehead rises abruptly 

 from behind the eyes, assuming a regularly convex form. In 

 young specimens the fur is of a dark brown with a greyish tinge 

 on the body, while the legs and feet are almost black j but in 

 adults, the fur is intermixed with yellowish grey and fawn colour. 



He can run with great fleetiiess, and, in his natural haunts, 

 can walk well on his hind legs, and, in that position, carry 

 the heaviest burdens. He is an excellent climber : when he de- 

 scends trees or precipices, he always come down backwards, like 

 a sailor descending a mast. In addition to these agile and ex- 

 pert accomplishments, he is also a fast and good swimmer -, and 

 during hot weather, frequently takes a bath, and afterwards 

 runs about to dry himself in the air and the sun. 



In Scandinavia this species is sometimes of a silvery colour, 

 frequently black, and occasionally attains a very great size. 

 Mr. Lloyd killed one that weighed four hundred and sixty pounds, 

 and as it was in the winter time, when its stomach was con- 



K 2 



