X 
THE BEAR 
343 
reason, but from sheer pugnacity. A full-grown 
male weighs from 280 to 300 lbs. The skin is 
exceedingly thick and heavy. The hair is long and 
coarse, with a bunch upon its back of at least 7 
inches in length, but there is a total absence of fur, 
therefore the hide has no commercial value. The 
chest is marked by a peculiar pattern in whitish 
brown, resembling a horse-shoe, which is the mark 
for aim when the animal rears upon its hind legs to 
attack. There are five claws upon the fore feet, 
and the same number upon the hinder paws. 
Although these are not retractile, neither are they so 
curved or sharp as those of the genus Felis ; they 
inflict terrible wounds upon a human being, and 
when the head of a man has been in a bear’s grip 
it has generally been completely scalped. I have 
heard of more than one instance where the scalp has 
been torn from the back of the neck and pulled 
over the eyes, as though it had been a wig. 
The Ursus labiatus seldom produces more than 
two or three at a birth, and the young cub is 
extremely ugly, but immensely powerful in limbs 
and claws. I have seen a very young animal 
which held on to the inside of its basket when 
inverted, and although shaken with great force, 
nothing would dislodge its tenacious clutch; this 
specimen was about six weeks old. 
Although many varieties of bears are tree- 
climbers, there are others which are contented with 
the ground, and which could not ascend a tree even 
should they be tempted by its fruit. The grizzly 
