BEARS. 137 



tliem prefer a vegetable diet to flesh of any description. They 

 have forty-two teeth, six incisors and two canines in each jaw, 

 twelve molars in the upper and fourteen in the lower. The incisors 

 and canines closely resemble those of the purely carnivorous 

 animals, while the molars are very large, especially the true ones, 

 and are tuberculous, a formation adapted for the grinding of 

 the vegetable food. 



Their senses of hearing and sight are not particularly good, 

 but the one of smell is wonderfully acute ; by it they can discover 

 insects deep under ground, honey in trees overhead, and are able 

 to detect a man to windward at a considerable distance. 



They have five toes on each foot. Their claws are not retractile, 

 like those of the Felidoe, and are used by the animals to dig up the 

 earthy seize their prey, and to attack or defend themselves ; also 

 to climb trees, for they occupy the pre-eminent position of being 

 the largest animals that can do this. In climbing they do not 

 display any of the agility noticeable in the members of the cat 

 family, but ascend in a slow, lumbering fashion, and make their 

 descent backwards. Their great weight, of course, prevents them 

 from ascending to the tree-tops or climbing far out on the branches. 

 When attacking or defending themselves, they erect the body and 

 stand upon the hind-feet, vigorously using their fore-paws, with 

 which they can inflict terrible wounds ; in the case of a man, 

 •often removing the entire scalp from the head with a single 



blow. 



They never willingly attack, but prefer to retreat before human 

 beings. If, however, they are forced to fight, or if wounded, they 

 never attempt to escape, but exhibit a tenacity of purpose and 

 will continue the combat until they have killed their opponent or 

 are themselves slain. 



A remarkable peculiarity of the bears is the habit and power 

 they have of hibernating during the winter months, which is 

 especially noticeable in those animals that inhabit northern coun- 

 tries Their custom is to retreat into some cavern or the natural 

 hollow of a tree, or in the absence of either of these conveniences, 

 they make a habitation for themselves by digging up the ground 

 or burrow into the snow, and collecting branches of trees or moss. 



