314 



HYBERNATION OF THE BEAR. 



pected intruder advanced to the table, and, mounting upon the colonel's chair, began to 

 inspect the festive arrangements. Just as the Bear had lifted a dish-cover off the joint at the 

 head of the table— a feat which it performed as dexterously as if it had been accustomed to 

 wait at table all its life— the colonel entered the room, and when he saw the strange intruder 

 who had taken such unceremonious possession of his seat, he demanded, with some irritation, 

 " who brought the animal there % " and was told he was only a friend of the officer. 



The Bear speedily became a favorite in the regiment, and was promoted to the office 

 of sentinel over the property contained in a baggage-wagon. Unfortunately, the poor animal's 

 sense of justice was so acute that it executed its responsible office with too much zeal. On one 

 occasion,' a soldier had gone to the wagon with the intention of robbing it of some of the property 

 contained therein, and quietly inserted his arm under the coverings. His intended depredation 



BROWN BEAR— Ursus arctos. 



was, however, soon checked by the teeth of the watchful Bear, which bit his arm with such 

 severity that the limb was rendered useless for the rest of the man's life. Some little time 

 after this occurrence, a child belonging to the regiment made a similar attempt upon the 

 wagon, and was killed by the Bear in its anxiety to fulfil the trust that had been committed to 

 its charge. As the animal was manifestly an unsafe one, and it was feared that the creature 

 might gain a thirst for blood, it was condemned to be shot, although not without much regret 

 on the part of judge and executioners. 



The various military adventures of this Bear are very curious, but would occupy too large 

 a space for the present work. 



During the autumn, the Bear becomes extremely fat, in consequence of the ample feasts 

 which it is able to enjoy, and makes its preparations for passing the cold and inhospitable 

 months of winter. About the end of October the Bear has completed its winter house, and 

 ceases feeding for the year. The saccharine-loving instinct of the Bear which leads it to dis- 

 cover a bee's nest, however carefully it may be concealed, and to undergo much toil and 

 trouble for the sake of the sweet banquet, seems to be given to the animal for the purpose of 

 enabling it to lay up within its own body a supply of fat which shall serve the double purpose 

 of sustaining the creature in proper condition during its long fast, and of loading the body 

 with carbon for the purpose of producing the state of lethargy, in which the animal passes 



