THE BKOWN BEAR 147 



he is not so completely comatose as a Dormouse or Bat, but may be 

 Waked up fairly easily; the stomach and bowels are empty, and the 

 vent plugged up with the ddbris of the last meal. This "tappen," 

 as the plug is called in Scandinavia, is excreted in spring, when the 

 Bear comes forth, at first still fairly fat and not unduly hungry, as 

 his fasting stomach has to become accustomed to food ; soon, however, 

 he becomes lean and ravenous, and is then particularly apt to make 

 raids upon large animals. He is a clumsy killer, and mangles his 

 victims horribly. 



During all the summer he does not put on much flesh, and some 

 unhappy individuals never accumulate enough adipose capital to be 

 able to hibernate. 



It is during the period of hibernation that the she-bear drops her 

 cubs, at the beginning of the New Year. The little creatures are in 

 number from one to four, and only about the size of Rats at first. 

 Their mother guards them with the most devoted care, and her ferocity 

 when robbed of them is proverbial. She knows, however, the value 

 of wholesome correction, and uses it if they are disobedient, applying 

 smacks and even bites to the refractory cubs. In this way she makes 

 them climb trees if she sees danger approaching. They remain with 

 her a long time, and older cubs, of a previous litter, are said to be 

 told off as nurses for younger ones ; a not improbable story, for the 

 same thing may be seen with the older and younger broods of one of 

 our commonest birds, the Moorhen {Gallinula chloropus). 



The voice of the Bear is a hoarse roar or growl, but in the ordinary 

 way it is not a noisy animal. Its destructiveness to man's possessions 

 is to some extent compensated for by its own value when killed ; its 

 fur is much esteemed for rugs, and the virtues of " Bear's Grease " 

 have long been well known, while the flesh is also appreciated as food 

 in some places ; within the last year or two it was even possible to 

 procure it in Leadenhall Market, but more as an article of curiosity in 

 diet than anything else. Bear hams are supposed to be especially good. 



It is not necessary to do more than allude in passing to the keeping 

 of Bears in captivity. They do well in confinement, and live for many 



