THE BLACK BEAR 267 



recent visits, though the bears themselves are no- 

 where in sight. It seems out of keeping with their 

 appetites that insects should form a part of their diet, 

 but the habit of breaking up old logs infested with 

 insect life leaves no doubt on that point. Honey is 

 another favourite dish, and as their thick hides give 

 immunity from the stings of outraged bees, they 

 plunge their heads in a nest without hesitation 

 Chestnuts and acorns are favourite comestibles. 

 In quest of these they climb trees, and break down 

 the fruit-laden branches. Hunters often surprise 

 them in such situations, but the animal's hearing is so 

 keen that the crunching of a leaf is sufficient to alarm 

 them. Then they drop from the tree with a heavy 

 thud and disappear in the forest. 



Impelled by hunger they will attack calves, sheep* 

 pigs or any other quadruped that crosses their path. 

 The coolness with which they enter huts in the night 

 in search of food is remarkable. 



Lumber men and trappers have constant ex- 

 perience of this. My Algonquin Park guide came 

 fresh from an encounter in which one of them had 

 been taken red-clawed in theft. The bear got into 

 a hut, where a military captain was sleeping. The 

 animal reared itself on its hind legs against the 

 stove, and scooped out the beans from a saucepan 

 with its paw. The captain, brave enough in warfare, 

 had no liking for crossing swords with that kind of 

 antagonist. He recruited his forces by inviting Mark 



