Four-footed Americans and their kin . er in theNorth or South, however, he is a wary beast to hunt,having keen ears and many cunning ways. He is hardto reach unless trailed by dogs, which method of taking BARS AND POSSUMS 379 him is about as barbarous a sport as exists out of thecountry of Bull fighting. Even if the Bear has doneevil things and you do not care for him, it is cruel tourge spirited dogs within reach of his teeth and claws,for Bruin is courageous when brought to bay and sellshis life dearly. The Black Bear is ranked with flesh-eaters, but heshould have an order all to himself, to
Four-footed Americans and their kin . er in theNorth or South, however, he is a wary beast to hunt,having keen ears and many cunning ways. He is hardto reach unless trailed by dogs, which method of taking BARS AND POSSUMS 379 him is about as barbarous a sport as exists out of thecountry of Bull fighting. Even if the Bear has doneevil things and you do not care for him, it is cruel tourge spirited dogs within reach of his teeth and claws,for Bruin is courageous when brought to bay and sellshis life dearly. The Black Bear is ranked with flesh-eaters, but heshould have an order all to himself, to be called, TheOrder of Gluttony, for he is ready to eat anything atany time, — fish, flesh, game, poultry, turtles eggs, frogs,fruits, and berries, all mixed together with as much honeyin the comb and out of it as he can scoop from hollowtrees, in spite of the pointed remonstrance of hordes ofangry bees. Honey failing, he will sit in a cherry treeand gobble until you would expect to hear the cherrystones rattling about inside Black Bear. 380 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS In winter, when Bears den up, they often unknow-ingly set traps to catch themselves. Sometimes a Bearprepares a cave home with a good bed, but more oftenmerely hollows out a place under a bank or tree root tocurl up in. Snow comes, covering everything many feetdeep. Thawing and freezing makes a hard outside crust,and the Bears warm breath melts the snow inside untilit is turned into a thick ice cage that shuts him hunters see the steam rising from these cavesor break through them cpuite by accident, and Bruinis caught. Do they live in family holes, like Beavers ? askedRap. No, each Bear has its own den. The cubs are bornin these dens late in winter, and of all the feeble, miser-able baby animals, Bear cubs are the most forlorn. Theyare no larger than kittens, furless and blind, and theydo not open their eyes for a month or more, while theirmother is obliged to play that she is a sitting hen andkee
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectmammals
