222 THROUGH THE MACKENZIE BASm 



the far north, one and two, but rarely three, young are 

 produced at a birth; but the Indians of 'New Caledonia dis- 

 trict, British Columbia, have assured me that two, three, 

 and four at a time are events there of rather frequent- occur- 

 rence, and that even as many as five have been occasionally 

 observed. This difference in prolificness may be owing to 

 the fact that while roots and berries may ibe equally abundant 

 in both sections of country, salmon are very abundant in their 

 season and easily accessible in the western spawning rivers and 

 streams, and they, for the time, form the chief item of diet 

 of the bears. The young usually, hibernate two seasons with 

 their mother, after which they are rather harshly repulsed 

 by her and thereby made to understand that they must set 

 up house and provide for themselves. This course would 

 indicate that they breed only every third year, while some 

 Athabascan Indians thought they did so each alternate 

 spring. In this connection I would mention that the Carrier 

 Indians of Stuart Lake, British Columbia, have told me that 

 it was an event of the utmost rarity (one such occurred in 

 the spring of 1889) to kill a hibernating bear with unborn 

 young. Even when attacked in their winter shelters, they 

 will almost invariably manage to abort the young, if not 

 already in existence, immediately on becoming aware of the 

 near presence of men with deadly intentions. During the 

 rutting season, the males of all bears are always more fero- 

 cious than on other ordinary occasions. They frequently 

 fight together until one sulbmits, nor will they hesitate to 

 attack any man they may meet at such times. When bears 

 quit their winter quarters, they usually resort, morning and 

 evening, to the nearest stream and feed on the small 

 fish. They also eat roots, etc., as already mentioned. When 

 wounded they are said to utter a cry and moan in pain 

 much as most men would do under similar circumstances. 

 This is particularly the case with the black bear. They are 

 taken in snares, shot, and captured in deadfall and powerful 

 steel traps. The Indians themselves cannot account satis- 



