CHAPTER VI. 



THE BEARS. 



EXCEPT the gi-eat cats, no creatures have longer held a j)lace in 

 human interest than the Bears. Their size and formidable 

 equipment of claws and teeth give the touch of fear which 

 goes with admiration. On the other hand, they do not, as a rule, 

 molest human beings, who see them employing their great strength 

 on apparently insignificant objects with some amusement. Except 

 one species, most bears are largely fruit and vegetable feeders. The 

 sloth-bear of IniHa sucks up ants and grubs with its funnel-like 

 lips ; the ^lalayan bear is a honey-eater by profession, scarcely 

 touching other food when it can get the bees' store; and only the 

 great polar bear is entirely carnivorous. The grizzly bear of the 

 Korthern Kocky JMountains is largely a flesh-eater, consuming great 

 quantities of putrid salmon in the Columbian rivers. But the ice- 

 bear is e\er on the quest for li\ing or dead flesh; it catches seals, devours 

 young sea-fowl and 



^iSSfejs&;; 



Photo by Ottomar Anschiitz, Berlin. 



AN" INYITISG ATTITUDE. 



The uijrigbt position i.s not n;it\iial 

 to the "blown beiir. It prefers to sit 

 on it.i bams, .and not to stand. 



eggs, and can 

 actually kill and eat 

 the gigantic walrus. 

 E\'ery one will 

 have noticed the 

 deliberate flat- 

 footed walk of the 

 bears. Ihis is due 

 partly to the for- 

 mation of the feet 

 themsel\"es. The 



whole sole is set flat 

 ujjon the ground, 

 and the impressions 

 in a bear's track are 

 not unlike those of a man's footsteps. The 

 claws are not capable of being retracted, like 

 those of the Cats; consequently they are 

 worn at the ti[)S where the cur\'e brings them 

 in contact with the ground. Yet it is sur- 

 prising what wounds these Ijlunt but liard 

 weapons will inflict on man — wounds resembling 

 what might be caused by the use of a very 

 large garden-rake. Against other animals 

 protected by hair bears" claws are of little 

 use. Dogs would never attack them so readily 

 as they do were they armed with the talons 

 of a leopard or tiger. The flesh-teeth in both 

 jaws of the bear are unlike those of other 

 carnivoi-a. The teeth generally show that 



■Idli Aliii,,!-:] U'loraia. 



THKEE PEUFOKMING BEAKS. 



Those on the right .and left are llin-.alajanbli'.ck bears. The white collar is 

 plainly seen. 



Ill 



