THE POLAR BEAR. 61 



vegetable food, was proved on two individuals in the Paris 

 menagerie. One of them lived five years on bread alone, and 

 the other throve upon the same diet for no less than seven 

 years/'* " This accounts for the fact, that some bears are 

 extremely dangerous enemies both to man and animals, while 

 others pass them by with apparent contempt. Thus the Polar 

 bears, in their native regions, accustomed to fish, would pass 

 by flocks and herds without attacking them, unless stimulated 

 by very violent hunger." f 



Captain Ross states, that during his voyage of discovery to 

 the arctic regions, the master of a whaler had his thigh very 

 severely lacerated by a wounded bear, which attacked and 

 dragged him out of the boat. The animal was speared by three 

 lances before he would relinquish his grasp; and then he dis- 

 engaged himself from the weapons, swam to the ice, and 

 decamped. 



The mate of the Dundee, " after killing a cub, fired at its 

 mother, and struck her on the jaw, which remained gasping 

 as if dislocated ; and believing her hors de combat, he got upon 

 the floe to take possession of her slain offspring. The mother 

 had fled, but she now returned ; and, rushing towards her 

 enemy, threw him down, but was unable to mangle him, for 

 her mouth was wide open, and she had lost the ability to close 

 it ; nevertheless, she mounted upon his prostrate body, and 

 trampled it severely, before the crew of his boat could come 

 to his rescue. When they did arrive, a sailor, who brought a 

 gun, lost his presence of mind at the sight before him, and 

 stood staring inactive ; but others, more bold, thrust the bear 

 aside with lances ; and the mate, being freed from its weight, 

 arose, took the gun and shot away its lower jaw completely. 

 She then fell a victim to the weapons of the men."! 



The female brings forth two young ones at a time ; and her 

 strong affection towards them has been the theme of many well 



* Zoological Gardens, vol. i. p. 134. 



f Popular Zoology (1832), p. 171. 



t Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Regions. 



