THE BEAR. 



Though the Bear is classed with the 

 Carnivora, or flesh-eating animals, it is 

 really omnivorous in the best acceptance 

 of that word, for it will thrive on a vegeta- 

 ble diet for many weeks at a time. Bears 

 will devour the various kinds of berries, 

 grains, the succulent leaves of herbs and 

 the fleshy roots, with evident relish. There 

 is, perhaps, no more dainty morsel for 

 them than the young and tender buds of 

 trees and shrubs as they are prepared by 

 Nature, wrapped in their winter cover- 

 ing and containing an abundant food, 

 stored there for the nourishment of the 

 growth of the coming season — a food use- 

 ful to the animal as well as the plant. The 

 young seem to depend entirely on vege- 

 table food, but as they grow older, though 

 still preferring the products of the plant, 

 they will eat a variety of animal forms, 

 such as insects, mollusks, crustaceans, 

 worms, birds and their eggs. When 

 driven by hunger they will kill and eat 

 larger prey, such as deer and domestic 

 cattle. They will also devour the dead 

 bodies of animals freshly killed, but only 

 before there is any taint or odor. Thus, 

 though Bears have the structural charac- 

 teristics of the flesh-eating animals, this 

 classification is misleading to the untu- 

 tored observer who watches them in our 

 menageries or even in their native homes. 



The Polar Bears are perhaps the most 

 carnivorous of them all, living almost en- 

 tirely on animal food, when in their nat- 

 ural homes. The Grizzly Bear is also 

 a flesh-eating species, though it will sub- 

 sist on a vegetable diet. It is an interest- 

 ing fact that the nature of their food seems 

 to determine the degree of strength and 

 the ferocity that they possess. The in- 

 fluence of the diet is shown not only on 

 the various species but also upon the in- 

 dividuals of the same species. The Bears 

 fed only upon vegetable foods exhibit a 

 much milder disposition and are less re- 

 sentful when crossed. 



Bears are distributed throughout the 



world except in Australia. In the words 

 of Brehm, "They inhabit the warmest as 

 well as the coldest of countries, high 

 mountains as well as the coasts of the 

 Arctic Sea. Nearly all species select 

 dense, extensive forests or rocky regions, 

 generally lonely spots. Some delight in 

 watery or damp siutations, streams, rivers, 

 lakes, swamps and the sea, while others 

 prefer stretches of dry land. One species 

 is confined to the sea-coast and seldom 

 penetrates the depths of the continent, but 

 still undertakes more extensive migra- 

 tions than the others, traversing great dis- 

 tances on drift ice, crossing the northern 

 Arctic Ocean and migrating from one 

 continent to the other." 



Besides the bears of the present day 

 there are extinct forms, remains of which 

 occur in the later geologic ages. The 

 Great Cave Bear, remains of which have 

 been found in the caves of Central 

 Europe, indicate that this species was 

 even larger than our Polar Bear, which 

 may measure nine feet in length. 



The opinion is prevalent that the move- 

 ments of the Bear are awkward and slow 

 and that they are neither fleet nor active 

 in locomotion. This is true, to a certain 

 extent, in the case of the larger species, 

 though they are endowed with great en- 

 durance. On the other hand the smaller 

 species are notably quick and active in 

 their motions. In fact all species when 

 excited will pass over the ground at a 

 rapid rate, their strides resembling a sort 

 of gallop. All climb, especially when 

 young or. until their great weight pre- 

 vents them from doing so. 



A few of the species are excellent swim- 

 mers and can remain under water for 

 some time. The Polar Bear well illus- 

 trates this characteristic, for it has been 

 seen many miles from the shore, swim- 

 ming easily and showing a wonderful 

 power of endurance. 



We are told that "some species are sen- 

 sible and sagacious and may be trained 



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