Trail and Camp-Fire 



handfuls of grass or earth scratched over it ; 

 but I do not remember a black bear ever 

 doing even so much as that. 



I should say, also, that the two species dif- 

 fered usually as well in their behavior under 

 fire. I have seen eight grizzlies and six black 

 bears shot. Two of the former and one of the 

 latter were instantaneously killed. Of the re- 

 mainder, every one of the grizzlies bellowed 

 and roared tremendously when hit, while every 

 one of the blacks, except the cub in the 

 spruce stub above mentioned, took his pun- 

 ishment in perfect silence. I have seen but 

 one bear of any kind, however, keep its feet 

 when struck. Unlike an elk, which rarely 

 even flinches, a bear will nearly always throw 

 itself headlong, clawing or biting at the 

 wound. The solitary exception that I remem- 

 ber was a black bear in New Brunswick. 

 Though fatally hit, she only flinched slightly, 

 and withdrew into the bushes from which 

 she had just appeared. 



In this sensitiveness to wounds, the bear 

 seems to resemble the cat tribe. The only 

 one that I have ever watched for any length 

 of time, close by, also reminded me somewhat 

 of a cat in his motions and behavior. It was 



262 



