264 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



brute creation by our fellow-men. That they fhould be 

 rewarded by numbers of unthinking people, who crowd 

 around them to fee the animal's rude attempts to imitate 

 human actions, is not to be wondered at: But it is much 

 to be wilhed, that the timely interference of the magi- 

 ftrate would prevent every exhibition of this kind, that, 

 in England at leaft, we might not be reproached with to- 

 lerating practices fo difgraceful to humanity. 



One of thefe animals, prefented to the prince of Wales 

 a few years ago, was kept in the Tower. By the care- 

 leffhefs of the fervant, the door of his den was left open ; 

 and the keeper's wife happening to go acrofs the court at 

 the fame time, the animal flew out, feized the woman, 

 threw her down, and faftened upon her neck, which he 

 bit; and, without offering any further violence, lay upon 

 her, fucking the blood out of the wound. Refiftance 

 was in vain, as it only ferved to irritate the brute ; and 

 {he muft inevitably have perifhed, had not her hufband 

 luckily discovered her fituation. By a fudden blow, he 

 obliged the Bear to quit his hold, and retire to his den, 

 which he did with great reluctance, and not without 

 making a fecond attempt to come at the woman, who 

 was almoft dead through fear and lofs of blood. It is 

 fomewhat remarkable, that whenever it happened to fee 

 her afterwards, it growled, and made molt violent ftrug- 

 gles to get out to her. — The prince, upon hearing of the 

 circumftance, ordered the Bear to be killed. 



The Bears of America are fmall and black, live entire- 

 ly upon vegetable food, and are particularly fond of 

 maize, potatoes, honey, and milk. Though preffed with 

 extreme hunger, they will not eat animal food. — They 

 lodge in the hollow trunks of large trees, which they 



