THE BROWN BEAR. 



a warm bed of hay and mofs at the bottom of her den. She generally 

 produces one, two, or three, at a litter, but never more. When the young 

 ones are firft whelped, they are yellow, with a white mark round the neck, 

 and do not look much like Bears ; their eyes are clofed during four weeks ; 

 at firft they are about eight inches long, and at the end of three months 

 fourteen or fifteen ; at that age they appear almoft round, and their fnout is 

 very lharp and pointed. They do not acquire much ftrength, till they are 

 full grown, before which time they have loft their white hair, which 

 gradually decreafes, and the yellow is changed into brown. The male and 

 female always live in feparate dens, and fometimes fight furioufly when they 

 meet, growling horribly at each other. 



The Bear is extravagantly fond of honey, in fearch of which he will climb 

 hollow decayed trees, which he afcends and defcends with furprifing agility. 



This animal is not confined to any particular country, but is found in 

 almoft all the high mountains, forefls, and deferts of the earth. 



The flelh of the Bear is with fome held in high eftimation, particularly 

 the hinder legs made into hams, and the feet, which are efteemed great 

 delicacies. The Ikin is the moft valuable of all coarfe furs ; the fat is much 

 ufed, and yields a great quantity of oil, which, if properly prepared, is equal 

 in goodnefs to the beft oil olive. The method made ufe of to feparate and 

 prepare it, is thus defcribed by Du Pratz. " The flelh and fat are boiled 

 together, and then the oil is feparated ; this done, it is purified by throwing 

 into it, while hot, a very large quantity of fait and water ; a thick fmoke 

 arifes, which carries off the difagreeable fmell of the fat ; when the fmoke is 

 evaporated, they pour the greefe, while it is ftill warm, into a pot, where it is 

 left to fettle during eight or ten days, at the expiration of which a clear oil 

 is found fwimming at the top ; this is taken off with ladles, and is perfectly 

 fweet and fine. Under it remains a lard, as white as Hogs-lard, but rather 

 fofter, which has neither a difagreeable fmell nor tafte." This account is 

 confirmed by Mr. Dumont, who fays, that the favages of Louifiana carry on 

 a confiderable trade with the French in this article ; that the oil never loofes 

 its fluidity, except in the time of intenfe frofts, when it becomes clotted, is 

 of a dazzling whitenefs, and is then eaten on bread, inftead of butter. Bears 



