GRIZZLY BEAR. 
149 
This species varies very much in colour ; we have skins in our possession 
collected on the Upper Missouri, some of which are nearly white, whilst 
others are as nearly of a rufous tint. The one that was killed by our 
party (of which we have also the skin) was a dark brown one. 
The following is from notes of J. W. Audubon, made in California in 
1849 and 1850 : “ High up on the waters of the San Joaquin, in California, 
many of these animals have been killed by the miners now overrunning all 
the country west of the Sierra Nevada. Greatly as the Grizzly Bear is 
dreaded, it is hunted with all the more enthusiasm by these fearless pio- 
neers in the romantic hills, valleys, and wild mountains of the land of gold, 
as its flesh is highly prized by men who have been living for months on 
salt pork or dry and tasteless deer-meat. I have seen two dollars a pound 
paid for the leaf-fat around the kidneys. If there is time, and the animal 
is not in a starving condition, the Grizzly Bear always runs at the sight 
of man ; but should the hunter come too suddenly on him, the fierce beast 
always commences the engagement. — And the first shot of the hunter is a 
matter of much importance, as, if unsuccessful, his next move must be to 
look for a sapling to climb for safety. It is rare to find a man who would 
willingly come into immediate contact with one of these powerful and 
vindictive brutes. Some were killed near 1 Green Springs/ on the Stanis- 
laus, in the winter of 1849-50, that were nearly eight hundred pounds 
weight. I saw many cubs at San Francisco, Sacramento city, and Stock- 
ton, and even those not larger than an ordinary sized dog, showed evidence 
of their future fierceness, as it required great patience to render them 
gentle enough to be handled with impunity as pets. In camping at night, 
my friend Bobert Layton, and I too, often thought what sort of defence we 
could make should an old fellow come smelling round our solitary tent for 
supper ; but as ‘ Old Riley/ our pack-mule, was always tied near, we used 
to quiet ourselves with the idea that while Riley was snorting and kicking, 
we might place a couple of well aimed balls from our old friend Miss 
Betsey (as the boys had christened my large gun), so that our revolvers, 
Colt’s dragoon pistols, would give us the victory ; but really a startling 
effect would be produced by the snout of a Grizzly Bear being thrust into 
your tent, and your awaking at the noise of the sniff he might take to 
induce his appetite. 
“ I was anxious to purchase a few of the beautiful skins of this species, 
but those who had killed ‘ an old Grizzly/ said they would take his skin 
home. It makes a first rate bed under the thin and worn blanket of the 
digger. 
“ The different colours of the pelage of this animal, but for the uniformity 
of its extraordinary claws, would puzzle any one not acquainted with its 
