40 
THE NATURALISTS’ COMPANION. 
THE BEAR. 
BLACK BEAK, (URsus americanus.) 
Bear, (ursus,) a genus of quadru¬ 
peds, the type of a family called ur- 
siDiE, belonging to the order fera:, 
sub-order carnivora, and tribe 
PLANTiGRADA. The American black 
bear is found in all parts of North 
America. Its total length seldom 
exceeds five feet. The fur is soft 
and smooth, and generally of a glossy 
black. It usually exhibits a timid 
disposition,seldom attacks man;feeds 
chiefiy on berries; occasionally vis¬ 
its gardens for the sake ot cabbage 
and other vegetables; and strongly 
prefers vegetable to animal food, but 
has recourse to the latter when press¬ 
ed by hunger, and in such circum¬ 
stances occasionally approaches hu¬ 
man habitations and captures pigs, 
which it endeavors to carry ofi\ 
The bear is easily tamed,when young, 
and can be learned a number of tricks 
such as dancing to music, walking 
on the hind legs, etc. The bear is 
a fine climber, and generally a good 
swimmer. The paws of the bears 
are armed with long and sharp talons 
which are not capable ot retraction, 
but which are most efficient weapons 
of offence when urged by the power¬ 
ful muscles which give force to the 
bear’s limbs. Should the adversary 
contrive to elude the quick and heavy 
blows of the paw, the bear endeavors 
to seize the foe round the body, and 
by dint of sheer pressure to over¬ 
come its enemy. In guarding itself 
from the blows which are aimed at 
it by its adversary the bear is singu¬ 
larly adoit, warding ofi the fiercest 
strokes with a dexterity that might 
be. envied by many a pretender to 
the pugilistic art. J. G, Wood says: 
‘‘During the autumn the bear be¬ 
comes extremely fat, in consequence 
of the ample feasts which it is able 
to enjoy, and makes its preparations 
for passing the cold and inhospitable 
months of winter. About the end 
of October the bear has completed 
its winter house, and ceases feeding 
for the year. A curious phenome¬ 
non now takes place in the animal’s 
digestive organs, which gives it the 
capability of remaining through the 
entire winter in a state of lethargy, 
without food, and yet without losing 
condition. From the end of October 
to the middle of April the bear re¬ 
mains in his den, in a dull lethargic 
state of existance ; and it is a curious 
fact that it a hibernating bear be 
discovered and killed in its den,it is 
quite as fat as if it had been slain 
before it retired to its resting-place. 
Sometimes it is said that the bear 
partially awakes, and in that case im¬ 
mediately loses its sleek condition, 
and becomes extremely thin. Dur¬ 
ing the winter the bear gains a new 
skin on the balls of the feet, and Mr. 
Lloyd suggests that the curious 
habit of sucking the paws, to which 
bears are so prone, is in order to 
facilitate the growth of the new in¬ 
tegument.” 
We have just received trom A. 
M. Shields, Los Angeles, Cal., a fine 
assortment of western birds’ eggs. 
Deader, give him an order. See ad. 
Price-lists printed cheaply by us. 
