848 THE COMMON EEAIt. 



The Black Bears, we are told^ are remarkably 

 attached to each other. The hunters never dare to 

 tire at a young one, while tlie dam is on the spot; 

 for, if the cub happens to be killed, she becomes so 

 enraged, that she will either avenge herself, or die in 

 the attempt. If, on the contrary, the mother should 

 be shot, tiie cubs will continue by her side long after 

 ihe is dead, exhibiting the most poignant affliction. 

 A man nearly lost his life, a few years ago, in Hun- 

 gary, by firing at a young Bear, in the presence of 

 its clam, who had indeed been concealed from his 

 sight by some bushes ; for, at one blow with her 

 paw, she brought off a great part of his scalp *. 

 This animal seldom uses its teeth as weapons of de- 

 fence, but generally strikes its adversary very strong- 

 ly with its fore- paws like a Cat ; and if possible, 

 seizes him between its paws, and presses him to its 

 breast with such force as almost instantly to suffo- 

 cate him. 



The most usual way of killing the Bears, is by 

 means of lire-arms or arrows. The Laplanders 

 easily overtake them, in their snow shoes, and 

 knock them down with clubs ; but they generally 

 first shoot them and then dispatch them with spears. 



In some parts of Siberia, the hunters erect a scaf- 

 fjhl of several balks laid over each other ; which fall 

 altogether, and crush the Bear, upon his stepping 

 on tlie trap placed underneath. — Another method is, 

 to dig pits; in which a smooth, solid, and very sharp- 

 pointed post is lixed into the ground, rising about a 



* Towiison's Travels, 371- 



