THE BLACK BEAR OF MUSKOKA 97 



from behind to watch them as they endeavour to 

 catch fish for food, or gather blueberries just 

 as he himself does. 



There are more people who have been watched 

 and studied by bears in Muskoka than are aware 

 of it, for the bear is ever careful to keep out of 

 sight, and hurries off the instant he thinks his 

 presence discovered. 



In Muskoka, bears have rather increased than 

 diminished in numbers. While we were residing 

 at Port Sanfield last year two bears were to be 

 seen every night prowling about a small clearing 

 within easy rifle-shot from the piazza of the 

 hotel. It was just before the season of duck- 

 shooting, and as there were several good broods 

 in the neighbourhood, we abstained from a chance 

 shot by moonlight. The tracks of game appeared 

 to me more numerous here than they were four- 

 teen years ago. 



Mr. J. S. Kingsley, in his Natural History of 

 Mammals, writes as follows: 



" It does not deserve to be called ferocious, 

 as under ordinary circumstances it desires to 

 get away from man. Said a bear-hunter to me : 

 * Once, when without my gun, I suddenly con- 

 fronted a big black bear in the Adirondacks. 



7 



