OllDER V. THE CAKXIVOKA. IT I) 



offering any more violence, lay upon her, sucking the blood out ot the 

 wound. Resistance was in vain, us it only served to irritate the brute; and 

 slie nuist inevitably have peri?lied, had not her husband luckily discovered 

 her situation. By a sudden blow, he obliged the bear to quit his hold, and 

 retire to his den, which he did with great reluctance, a;jd not without mak- 

 ing a second attempt to come at the woman, who was almost dead through 

 fear and loss of blood. It is somewhat remarkable, tliat, whenever he hap- 

 pened to see her afterwards, he growled, and made most violent struggles to 

 get at her. 



Sub-genus Ursus. — The True Bears. These are the typical forui of the 

 entire genus, and are the most widely distributed over the globe. Although 

 their cradle appears to be in the colder regions of the north, they are found 

 in South America and Syria, and in the mountains of Thibet and ^epaul. 

 There are numerous species and many distinct varieties, several ot which 

 appear not to be well known. 



U. Arctos. — The Brown Piear. This species is about foiu- feet in 

 length and two and a half in height. It is a [)Owerful animal, with a large 

 head and prolonged muzzle ; the eyes are small, the ears sub-triangular, and 

 partly concealed by a great quantity of brown, shaggy hair. It stands erect, 

 walks on the hind feet, and sits on its hams with great facility. This animal 

 abounds in Norway, Sweden, Lapland, and Denmark, and, notwithstanding 

 its fierceness and strength, a peasant will often encounter it single-handed. 

 For this purpose he arms himself with a long, sharp-pointed knife with a 

 keen edge, and protects his left arm with several folds of bear-skiu. A\ hen 

 the bear assumes the uiiriglit posture, as he always does on the a[)proach of a 

 foe, the hunter, keeping as far off as possible, stabs him suddenly and re- 

 peatedly with his long knife, and soon lays the brute at his feet. But alas 

 for the hunter who allows himself to be clawed into the arms of tlie animal ; 

 for in such case he will be sure to be suffocated. This bear exliibits a great 

 deal of shrewdness, and in his struggle with a man, if he can once grasp 

 him with his fore paws, using one of his hind feet in a peculiar manner, he 

 will trip him up, and prostrate him with the skill of a practised wrestler. 



The Yellow Bear of Norway and the Black Bear of Sweden are varieties 

 of this species. The latter has a permanent narrow white ring round tl 

 neck, and in winter the tips of the hair on the back are white. It is to 

 tins bear tliat Landor alludes in the following anecdote : "A man in Sweden 

 set off one morning to shoot the cock of the woods. Tliis bird is so ex- 

 tremely shy, that he is rarely met witli, except in the pairing season, 

 when, every morning, he renews his song. lie usually commences just 

 before sunrise, beginning in a loud strain, which gradually sinks into a low 

 key, until he is quite entranced witli his own melody ; lie then droops his 



le 



