How Animals Talk 



exclamation point, that I could have touched him 

 before his curiosity was satisfied; and several 

 times, when I have been watching the berry- 

 fields, a bear and her cubs have noticed some slight 

 motion of mine and have left their feast of blue- 

 berries to approach rather too near for my comfort. 

 At close quarters an old she-bear is a little uncer- 

 tain. Commonly she runs away in sudden panic; 

 but should you get between her and her cub, and 

 the piggish little fellow squeal out as if frightened 

 or hurt, she may fly into a fury and become 

 dangerous to a man unarmed. 



The obvious thing to do, in view of what has been 

 learned, is to hold physically and mentally still 

 when you meet a wild animal, and so take ad- 

 vantage of his curiosity. That is very easy when 

 he happens to find you at rest, for then he is bound 

 to find out something about you before he goes; 

 but even when he catches you afoot you may still 

 have a fair chance if you stop in your tracks and 

 move no muscle while he is looking. Remember 

 that so long as you are motionless you puzzle 

 him; that you should advance only when his head 

 is turned away, and that you should never move 

 directly at any animal, but to one side, as if you 

 would give him plenty of room in passing. If you 

 must change your position or attitude while he is 

 looking, move gently and very slowly, avoiding 



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