168 
the black bear. 
The ci’uel practice of baiting bears 
dogs was a favourite public diversion of 
forefathers, which the progress of refinement 
has happily banished from the British islands- 
Another species of cruelty, however, still su’*’' 
sists among us. Most of our readers mu^t 
have observed the awkward movements 
those animals that are exhibited in our streets* 
and have been taught to walk upright, t^ 
hold a pole in their paws, to imitate dancing' 
and to perform other tricks for the entertain' 
ment of the multitude : but few of them, 
bably, are aware of the barbarities exercise^ 
on the bear in training him for this purpos®' 
His eyes are put out ; a ring is inserted n^ 
the cartilage of the nose to lead him by ; 
is starved into submission to the will of 1’’’ 
savage keepers; and, by having his feetplace^l 
on hot plates of iron, he is taught to regula*^ 
his motions to the sound of the flageolet and 
other instruments. Knowing the fact, whn^ 
