1867.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
173 
The American Black Bear. 
(Ursus Americanus.) 
namely i wild cherries, 
acorns, honey, sundry 
Bears are not very uncommon over a consid- 
erable portion of the Northern United States, 
and the one we represent is the only species ever 
seen wild in America south of the Arctic regions, 
and east of the Great 
Plains. The Yellow- 
bear and the Cinna- 
mon bear being re- 
garded as varieties 
of this species. The 
American Black 
Bear is seldom more 
than 6 feet in length, 
and 3 feet in bight 
at the shoulders, 
and is characterized 
by its long, straight, 
shining black coat, 
high, oval, rounded 
ears, short tail, short 
feet, and short blunt 
claws, covered by 
the hair. Its color 
is dark brown to 
nearly or quite 
black, with a yel- 
lowish.dusky brown 
patch on each side 
of the muzzle. The 
food of this bear is 
almost exclusively 
of a vegetable nature 
berries, grapes, nuts, 
roots, and such things. It eats eggs also, 
and some insects, and w y hen very hungry, small 
quadrupeds and birds — though it seldom takes 
animal food from choice. "When sore pressed, 
bears sometimes enter farm-yards and do con- 
siderable damage, being partial to pigs and poul- 
try — taking also it is said, sometimes a sheep or 
a calf. The chief 
damage they do to 
the farmer is, how- 
ever, in his potato 
fields, corn fields, 
and orchards — pre- 
ferring the corn in 
its green state, when 
fit for boiling, and 
eating large quan- 
tities of sweet ap- 
ples, peaches or 
other fruit. The 
bear is timid and 
will seldom attack 
a man, never, unless 
provoked or in de- 
fence of its young. 
The female has two 
young at a time, 
bringing them forth 
very early in the 
spring. Continued 
severe weather not 
unfrequently forces 
them out from their 
retirement soon af- 
ter this, in search of food, and at such times they 
are often captured, the old one submitting, at 
least atfirst.with a poor grace to restraint or con- 
finement, but the young ones becoming and re- 
maining as tame as puppies. Bears arc natur- 
ally docile and imitative; they climb trees with 
case, are very quick in many of their motions. 
They arc protected by a thick hide, a very thick 
coat of furry hah-, and almost as thick a coat- 
ing of fat as a we'll fed porker, and thus possess 
a triple defence against blows and against cold, 
as well as against the attacks of dogs or other 
animals. The flesh is delicate and savory, the 
steaks having much the flavor of pork. During 
the winter the meat is still common in the mar- 
the American black BEAB.— (Units Americanus.) 
kets, even of our eastern cities ; the grease is in 
considerable request for hair oil, and brings a 
good price, and the skins are valuable and sal- 
able according to size and the quality of the fur. 
•*-> -■■ «■ i » 
The Polar Bear (Ursus maritinuis.) 
The "White or Polar Bear is regarded as the 
largest, most powerful, and, with the exception 
THE POLAR BEAB 
(Ursua maritimus.) 
of the Grizzly Bear'of the Rocky Mountain-, as 
the fiercest of the bears. They are courageous 
in defence of their mates, and of their young, 
lor which they manifest the most touching affec- 
tion.; m\:i';'c when attacked, and very tenacious 
of lite. The food of Polar Bears is wholly ani- 
mal, they live chiefly upon fish, and are al- 
together maritime in their habits. The promi- 
nent characteristics of this bear are large size, 
and great length of body, (which varies consid- 
erably, occasionally reaching a length of nine 
feet with a bight of four feet, and weight of 
1,500 pounds), the neck is also proportion- 
ally long ; a small head ; very small ears ; soles 
of the feet very large ; the line of the forehead 
and nose remark- 
ably straight, and 
the coat of fine long 
fur of a nearly white 
color. These bears 
range and rule with- 
in the North Polar 
Circle, upon the ice- 
bound coasts and 
floating ice. They 
do not live long in 
menageries or zoo- 
logical collections 
on account of their 
suffering from the 
heat, but they al- 
ways form a very 
attractive feature in 
these exhibitions. 
The flesh is not 
savory. The habits 
of the Polar Bear 
are little under- 
stood. "Whether 
they hibernate, or 
not, is not settled. 
It would seem prob- 
able that when the long arctic winter night 
6huts down, the well fed and fat ones retire into 
winter quarters, but those not in so good condi- 
tion, wander as prompted by hunger in search 
of food. It is an interesting fact that the shape 
and character of the teeth of this purely car- 
nivorous bear vary scarcely at all from those of 
the almost purely vegetable eaters of the same 
genus. These animals are hunted by the in- 
habitants of those 
regions where they 
abound, for the flesh 
which doubtless 
compares favorably 
with that of the 
seals, walrusscs and 
oily fish, and for the 
skins which form an 
article of commerce, 
making very fine 
sleigh robes, etc. 
The "Texas jtfrn- 
eaix." — This dis- 
ease, also called 
" Spanish Fever," 
which had entirely 
disappeared during 
the war, has, this 
year, done in soma 
sections terrible in- 
jury. It is known 
only in the track of 
Texas cattle, or 
those with which 
they have come in 
contact, its period of incubation is very short 
usually, but with the Texas stock very long, 
so dial apparently healthy cattle communi- 
cate the disease, and cattle die after taking it, 
while the original animals arc slid well, to 
all appearance. The fatal symptom is extreme 
thirst; death follows soon after drinking. X 
severe frost is said to put an end to the disease. 
