ORDER CARNASSIER. 225 



hairs silken, pliant, reddish at their origin, and finally of a 

 brilliant black, entirely conceal the first, from which results 

 a very thick and luxuriant fur. The muzzle is of a fawn 

 colour, more or less grayish on the sides of the mouth. In 

 some individuals white fur is found on the breast. In 

 youth it is more of a chocolate brown, and at a certain age 

 it is covered with a gray down before it assumes its fine 

 black colour. The young are of a clear, uniform, cinereous 

 gray. 



BufFon at first regarded the Black Bear of America as a 

 simple variety of the Brown Bear of Europe ; but after- 

 wards, having seen an individual of this species at the me- 

 nagerie of Chantilly, he formed a juster notion of it, though 

 he did not make it a distinct species. It was Pallas who 

 first recognised its characters, and since his time the species 

 has been adopted. 



The generality of travellers who have visited North 

 America speak of this Bear. By amalgamating the sub- 

 stance of their various reports, a natural history of this 

 species has been obtained, very nearly as minutely detailed 

 as that of the Bear which inhabits our European moun- 

 tains. 



The Black Bear of America, in its mode of life and sub- 

 sistence, exhibits much affinity with the Brown Bear of 

 Europe. It inhabits the recesses of the forests, and the 

 wildest tracks of the country, and seldom approaches culti- 

 vated and peopled regions, except when the rigour of the 

 season deprives it of all sustenance in its ordinary quarters. 

 It feeds on fruits, roots, insects, flesh, and even fish, of 

 which last it is reported to be extremely fond, and it descends 

 to the borders of lakes, and to the sea-shore in pursuit of 

 its favourite diet. \t never attacks the larger animals or 

 man, except when severely pressed by hunger. Its move- 

 ments, like those of the Brown Bear, are heavy and awk- 

 ward, but it climbs trees with facility, and swims well. In 

 Vol. II. Q 



