NATURAL HISTORY. 73 



pended by a cord just before the entrance of the hive, and the 

 trap is complete. The bear scents the honey and comes to 

 look at the tree. The spikes rather astonish him, but he 

 sniffs his way through them, and commences the ascent. 

 When he has reached the hive, he is checked by the log hang- 

 ing before the entrance : this he finds is movable, and pushes 

 aside, but it is just so long that a mere push will not entirely 

 remove it, so he gives it a tremendous pat, and looks in at 

 the entrance. Just as he has succeeded in putting his nose 

 to the hive, the log returns and hits him very hard on the 

 head. This makes him exceedingly angry, and he pokes it 

 away harder than ever, only to return with a more severe blow 

 than before. He now has a regular fight with the log, hitting 

 it first to one side and then to the other, the perverse block 

 invariably striking his head every time, until at last a severer 

 blow than usual knocks him fairly off the tree on to the spikes 

 below. 



In the time of Queen Elizabeth the bear used to be baited, 

 but this cruel sport is now happily extinct. 



Two genera are omitted. 



THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 



The GRIZZLY BEAR is a native of North America. It is 

 the most ferocious and powerful of its family. The American 

 Indians fear it so much, that a necklace of its claws, which 

 may only be worn by the individual who destroyed the bear, 

 i.s a decoration entitling the wearer to the highest honours. 

 It is able to overcome and carry off the enormous bison, 

 and to dig a pit in which to bury it. 



THE POLAR BEAR. 



The POLAR, or WHITE BEAR, called Nennook by the Esqui- 

 maux, lives in the Arctic regions, where it feeds on seals, fish, 

 and even the walrus, but it dares not attack the latter animal 

 openly. It is a formidable antagonist either by land or water, 

 as it dives with great ease, and is able to chase the seal amid 

 D 



