418 



ACCOUNT OP ANIMALS. 



down, or in the caverns of rocks ; and in some in- 

 stances they dig holes, in the sides of hills. These 

 habitations are enclosed on every side, with the 

 branches of trees, filled in with moss, &e. so as 

 completely to surround the animal, excepting his 

 nose, where a small hole' is left, to enable him to 

 breathe fresh air. They leave these retreats, as 

 soon as the warm weather comes on in the spring, 

 when they are apparently as fat, as they were 

 when they entered them, in the preceding autumn. 



This flesh has less substance, probably, as 

 they loose most of it, soon after their egress ; 

 though they then devour, with an appetite ren- 

 dered strong by a winter's abstinence, whatever 

 comes in their way. Their food, however, at this 

 season, is not so abundant as it is afterwards, as 

 they generally live upon roots, and the different 

 kinds #f fruit. They eat, likewise, ants and honey, 

 whenever they meet with that which is made by 

 bees and wasps. They rarely eat animal food. 



The brown and black bear differ little, except- 

 ing in their colour. The hair of the former, is 

 much finer than that of the latter. They usually 

 flee from a human being. One, however, that 

 has been wounded, or a female that has cubs, will 

 attack a pursuer. The brown and the black bear, 

 climb trees, which the grey, never does. Their 

 flesh is not considered so pleasant food as that of 

 the moose, baffaloe or deer; but their oil is high- 



