236 BIO GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



sexes, neither white nor yellow, but rather dirty looking; 

 and these are likewise the best runners. 



It is an error to suppose that Bears, because of their 

 great size, can not run swiftly. They are remarkably fleet- 

 footed, and have often overtaken Indians in a fair race, and 

 killed them. Their speed, however, depends greatly on the 

 condition they are in. If fat, their rate of progression is 

 slower; but if lean and hungry, their fleetness of foot is 

 almost incredible. These last are, however, rarely met 

 with on land. Those I have seen there were of the more 

 timid sort. 



Sometimes Bears advance to the attack, but on finding 

 the hunter determined and bold, they wheel about and run 

 away. Once they do so, their chances of escape are small, 

 if the hunter be cool and a good shot, as they seldom sum- 

 mon up resolution to face the hunter a second time, unless 

 badly wounded by a bullet. 



The general opinion is that White Bears are only vulner- 

 able when shot behind the ear. This is a most absurd 

 error. A bullet from a large bore, heavily charged modern 

 rifle, if planted behind the shoulder, is equally effective on 

 the Polar Bear as on any other large animal, and one in any 

 part of the body is almost certain to bring him down and 

 prevent his escape. 



I have never weighed any carcasses of Polar Bears, but, 

 as nearly as I could estimate, those I have killed would 

 vary from two hundred to six or seven hundred pounds. 



The food of the White Bear is principally Seal, although 

 I have seen one eating grass; and several deposits I have 

 examined showed plainly that they do not subsist entirely 

 on animal food. I have also examined the contents of their 

 stomachs, and they also attest this fact. 



Their modus operandi of catching the Seal is as follows: 

 The Bear having discovered a Seal asleep on an ice-floe, 

 immediately slips into the water if he himself be on another 

 ice-floe. Diving, he swims under water for a distance, then 

 reappears and takes observations. Alternately diving and 

 swimming, he approaches close to his victim. Before his 



