SEPTEMBER 
287 
farmer's fields of maize : when the corn is in that milky state 
called roasting ears," so prized for boiling and eating as a 
table dish, like green peas^ or roasting whole on the cob, 
the bear manifests a singular unity of taste with the farmer^, 
and devours and treads down a large quantity^ as he finds no 
difficulty in climbing over the zig-zag rail fence. I have 
been told that he repeats his nightly visits to the same field ; 
and, what is singular, always, on such occasions, mounts the 
fence, night after night, at the same spot where he got over 
the first time. The planters take advantage of this regular 
habit, by fastening to the fence a heavily loaded gun at such 
an angle that it shall point at the bear's breast as he rises on 
his hind legs. The identical crossing place is easily known 
by his great tracks in the soft earth. A stick is attached to 
the trigger, and this is made fast, at right angles, to a trans- 
verse stick resting on two forks about breast high, a few 
inches outside the fence. The bear rears up to put his fore- 
paws on the rails, and in getting over presses with his breast 
against the transverse stick, which drives back the trigger, 
and poor Bruin instantly receives the reward of his dishon- 
esty. The bear is one of those animals called plantigrade ; 
that is, he rests the whole sole of the foot on the ground, not 
walking on tiptoe^ as a cat or dog does, which gives him a 
somewhat heavy, shambling gait, though he contrives to get 
along with considerable speed. He makes a peculiar kind of 
sniffing, or whistling sound, and diffuses a rank odour, per 
ceptible at some distance. 
C. — The wolves are again beginning their autumnal 
depredations ; one was seen a few mornings ago, crossing 
one of our fields at dawn of day, and their dismal bowlings 
are to be heard at night. 
JP. — But let us see what Flora has to offer us. 
Here is a simple plant, the Everlasting ( Gnaphalium Mar- 
garitaceum J ; it should be a type of constancy, for it never 
