The Zudlogjst— Mauch, 1870. 2039 



many an hour by the log fire, tells me that he must have killed at least 

 one hundred and fifty bears (and this 1 believe, for he killed six din-ing 

 the two years I was there), and that only one wounded one turned 

 upon him, and this he attributed to the fault of a young dog he had 

 with him ; but he soon despatched the bear with his tomahawk. It 

 would appear that the organs of sight are not so well developed in the 

 bears, especially this species, as in many other of the Mammalia; but 

 the nose and ears amply suffice for this apparent deficiency, particu- 

 larly the nose. In stalking a bear it is only, and yet absolutely, 

 necessary to keep well to leeward, and to approach as noiselessly as 

 possible. If the bear turns to inspeipt the intruder on its privacy, a 

 sudden hall must be made, although the precaution of secreting one- 

 self is unnecessary ; to remain immovable is all that is required until 

 the bear commences walking or feeding. There is one feature in the 

 economy of the black bear which appears puzzling to the settlers and 

 Indians in Newfoundland, viz., the period of gestation. Of the many 

 female bears killed by these people, even late in autumn, none are 

 found to contain young. From this fact it is pretty evident that they 

 copulate in the fall, and bring forth their 3 0ung in the snug winter 

 caves, for on their appearance in the spring they are generally 

 accompanied by two, rarely three, young ones. The black bear is 

 usually a solitary animal, although five, and even six, have not 

 unusually been seen together in the spring and fall of the year. It is 

 exceedingly omnivorous in its habits; nothing appears distasteful to 

 it. In the spring it frequents the sea-shore, feeding on any amimal 

 matter which may be cast up by the waves, such as putrid pieces of 

 whales, fish, lobsters, crabs, &c. Later in the summer the various 

 berries, such as mountain ash [Pyrus americava), for which it readily 

 climbs, cranberries {Oxycoccus palustris), blueberries [Vacciuium 

 corymhosum), &c., are its principal food, as well as the eggs of ants, 

 and probably the insects themselves are not wholly rejected. No 

 instance of the black bear attacking domestic cattle came under my 

 observation during my residence on the island ; in fact, on more than 

 one occasion I saw the "footing" of a large bear in close proximity 

 to a small flock of sheep which roamed at pleasure round the settle- 

 ments during the few summer months. A scarcity of food, which, 

 however, is not likely to occur on so thinly populated an island, may 

 induce bears to attack sheep, and even larger domestic animals. The 

 fondness of bears for molasses is proverbial, and many amusing 

 anecdotes were related to mc of the audacity of young bears entering 



