THE BEAR IN WINTER 



of tackling the enemy. Fortunately, however, his master 

 was too quick for him. Dick knew too much of the 

 ways of wolves to allow his little comrade to be wiped 

 out in that way. He got the dog back into safety, then 

 explained to me that, though the coyote's howl would 

 lead one to suppose he was still some distance off, 

 he was probably lurking about only a few yards away — 

 in fact, he was practising a kind of ventriloquist's trick, 

 in order to lure his victim on. 



That night Dick told me some very interesting stories 

 about bears. He said that at the beginning of October 

 they gave up all meat eating and began to raid the little 

 larders of the squirrels, which were composed of pine 

 cones. These they ate and got fat on, as they contain 

 a great quantity of oil. About the middle of October the 

 bears go and scratch holes out underneath banks and 

 curl up in them. When the snow falls it covers them 

 until the spring thaw sets in . Then they shake themselves, 

 and crawl forth to greet the spring by walking about 

 fifty yards, and returning to the lair. This exercise 

 is repeated for a fortnight, until their feet are hardened 

 again, and they are ready to go out to face the 

 world. 



At sunrise the following morning my host pointed 

 out some mountain sheep away in the distance, far 

 above us. But I decided to leave them alone. I had 

 had enough the previous day ; and, keen though I was 

 on getting the first moving pictures of them, I realised 



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