THE GRIZZLY AND BLACK BEAR 
are as clever as caribou in choosing their route from one barren or range 
to another, and if you follow them often, as you are obliged to do in New- 
foundland, you will always find that their route is not only the easiest 
one but perhaps the only possible one. 
On the whole the black bear is a solitary animal, although the male and 
female often keep togther during the breeding season. Even at this time 
the individuals move apart as soon as they begin to feed. Such gatherings 
as are sometimes seen, notably in the streams when salmon are running, 
are rather accidental than otherwise, and in no way indicate that the species 
is gregarious. 
The black bear emits a number of sounds indicating anger and pain. 
It gives a loud cough when menacing a man or another bear, and both 
whines and sniffs to attract attention. In pain it makes a loud bawling 
cry. 
Black bears are fond of biting and scratching trees, and in any forest 
frequented by them one or two trees are noticed that have been torn by 
teeth or claw marks. They rise and embrace the tree, trying to bite or claw 
it as high as possible. Curiously enough, the highest marks on a tree or 
sapling are always the freshest, as if the last bear to come along wished 
to show his superior height. Bears will go for years to the same trees 
and blaze their sign mark, and in this respect exhibit certain powers 
of memory which cats do not do. All the cats sharpen their claws and 
bite trees, but seem to choose any tree of a suitable size in a moment of 
inclination. 
These sign-posts of bears are well-known landmarks in all regions 
where these animals are common. Grizzlies generally leave five well worn 
marks whilst black bears often leave four. They are very fond of clawing 
aspen, birch and mountain ash, possibly because the bark is more or less 
soft. 
The usual mating season is June or early July, and but little is known 
of their breeding habits. Some hunters say that the males rush along the 
trails in search of a female, and that once paired the two animals remain 
together. At first they are said to fight considerably, but even this is doubt- 
ful. That they do fight occasionally is undoubted, but as a rule they are 
singularly peaceable animals both in confinement and in the wild state, 
and only subject to sudden frenzies when things go wrong. 
There is hardly anything in the way of vegetable or animal life that 
the black bear will not eat, for in summer and autumn he is feeding all the 
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