HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 269 



It has been feldom feen farther fouth than Newfound- 

 land but abounds chiefly on the mores of Hudfon's Bay, 

 Greenland, and Spitzbergen, on one fide, and thofe of 

 Nova-Zembla on the other. It has been fometimes 

 found in the intermediate countries of Norway and Ice- 

 land; but fuch as have appeared in thofe parts have al- 

 ways been driven thither upon floating (beets of ice ; fo 

 that thofe countries are only acquainted with them by ac- 

 cident. 



During fummer, they take up their refidence on large 

 iflands of ice, and frequently pafs from one to another. 

 — They fwim well, and can go to the diftance of fix or 

 feven leagues : They likewife dive, but do' not continue 

 long under water. — When the pieces of ice are detached 

 by ftrong winds or currents, the Bears allow themfelves 

 to be carried along with them, and as they cannot re- 

 gain the land, or abandon the ice on which they are em- 

 barked, they often periih in the open fea. Thofe which 

 arrive with the ice on the coafhs of Iceland or Norway, 

 are almoft famimed with hunger from the length of their 

 voyage, and are extremely voracious. As foon as the na- 

 tives difcover one of them, they arm themfelves, and pre- 

 fently difpatch him. 



The ferocity of the Bear is as remarkable as its attach- 

 ment to its young. A few years fince, the crew of a 

 boat belonging to a (hip in the whale- fifhery, (hot at a 

 Bear at a (hort diftance, and wounded it. The animal 

 immediately fet up the mod dreadful yells, and ran along 

 the ice towards the boat. Before it reached it, a fecond 

 (hot was fired, and hit it. This ferved but to increafe its 

 fury. It prefently fwam to the boat ; and in attempting 

 to get on board, reached its fore foot upon the gunnel ; 

 but one of the crew having a hatchet, cut it off. The 



