The Labrador Peninsula 



they leave it alone, having a great respect and 

 fear for its ferocity and size. While descend- 

 ing the south branch of the Koksoak River in 

 1894 we saw tracks along the banks which my 

 Indians said were much larger than those of 

 any black bear they had ever seen; unfortu- 

 nately we did not get sight of the animal. 



The black bear (Ursus americanus, Pallas) 

 is found everywhere in the wooded country, 

 and a few are killed in the semi-barrens as far 

 north as latitude 56 degrees. During August 

 and September bears are commonly met with 

 in the valleys of any of the southern rivers 

 where there are extensive burnt areas covered 

 with blueberries, on which the bears feed and 

 grow fat. I have followed several of these 

 streams, and I have never failed to see several 

 bears. Assured sport may be obtained on a 

 trip up any of the rivers emptying into the St. 

 Lawrence, but probably the best place for bear 

 hunting is in the valley of the Hamilton 

 River, below the Grand Falls. The food con- 

 ditions are perfect, and, as the upper part of 

 the valley is not hunted by the Indians, the 

 bears are very plentiful, and a good bag would 

 undoubtedly be made there in the early 

 autumn. 



33 



