284 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST, 
haps a sow, a calf, or even a full-grown cow, 
As soon as the different kinds of berries which 
grow on the mountains begin to ripen, the bears 
betake themselves to the high grounds, followed 
by their cubs. 
In retired parts of the country, where the 
plantations are large and the population sparse, 
it pays visits to the corn-fields, which it ravages 
fora while. After this, the various species of 
nuts, acorns, grapes, and other forest fruits, that 
form what in the western States is called mast, 
attract its attention. The bear is then seen 
rambling singly through the woods to gather this 
harvest, not forgetting, meanwhile, to rob every 
bee-tree it meets with, bears being expert at this 
operation. 
The black bear is a capital climber, and now 
and then houses itself in the hollow trunk of 
some large tree for weeks together during the 
winter, when it is said to live by sucking its 
paws. 
At one season, the bear may be seen examin- 
ing the lower part of the trunk of a tree for 
several minutes with much attention, at the same 
time looking around, and snuffing the air. It 
then rises on its hind-legs, approaches the trunk. 
embraces it with the fore-legs, and scratches the 
bark with its teeth and claws for several minutes 
m continuance. Its jaws clash against each 
