404 
COMMON BEAR, 
sports of the male with the female,, and its agita^ 
tion when pursued. All their other dances are 
similar to the bear dance., in many particulars ; 
and those attitudes are always thought to approach 
nearest to perfection, which most resemble the mo- 
tions of the bear. 
If the uses of the bear be so various to the Kamts- 
chadales, not less general is the wear of his fine 
and warm fur to persons of the higher classes in 
Russia. A light black bear skin is one of the 
most comfortable and costly articles in the winter 
wardrobe of a man of fashion,, at Petersburg or 
Moscow. 
Dr. Towns on was informed, by the peasantry of 
Hungary, (what, he says, he had often before 
heard,) that when the bears leave the woods, and 
come into the corn fields at night to feed, they 
draw the standing corn through their fore paws, 
then rub the detached ears between them, blow 
away the chaff, and eat the grain. Mr. Pennant 
tells us, that bears are very fond of peas ; of which 
they will tear up great quantities, and, beating 
them out of the shells on some stone or hard spot of 
ground, eat the grain, and carry off the straw to 
their dens. 
It is well known, that the bear may, with some 
little difficulty, be rendered tame and docile ; and 
it lias then the appearance of being mild and obe- 
dient to its master ; but it is not to be trusted, 
without caution. It may be taught to walk, to 
lay hold of a pole with it's paws, and perform 
various tricks to entertain the multitude ; who are 
highly pleased with the aukward measures of this 
rugged animal, which it seems to suit to the sound 
of an instrument, or to the voice of its leader. But, 
to give the bear this kind of education, it is neces- 
sary to have it taken young, and to accustom it 
early to restraint and discipline. An old bear 
