. The Arctic world: its plants, animals and natural phenomena [microform] : with a historical sketch of Arctic discovery down to the British Polar Expedition: 1875-76. British Polar Expedition, 1875-76; British Polar Expedition, 1875-76; Zoology; Zoologie. m MANY A ; It would Heuiii iiii}M>H8ible to surprise an iuiiiual so vi<j[iliint and so wary ; and, indeed, in circuni- ventinj,' its prev the bear exliibits an astuteness and a skill wliicli overpass the bounds of instinct, and approach ck)sely to those of reason. Fioni its scent and by its <iuick stronif vision the bear a
. The Arctic world: its plants, animals and natural phenomena [microform] : with a historical sketch of Arctic discovery down to the British Polar Expedition: 1875-76. British Polar Expedition, 1875-76; British Polar Expedition, 1875-76; Zoology; Zoologie. m MANY A ; It would Heuiii iiii}M>H8ible to surprise an iuiiiual so vi<j[iliint and so wary ; and, indeed, in circuni- ventinj,' its prev the bear exliibits an astuteness and a skill wliicli overpass the bounds of instinct, and approach ck)sely to those of reason. Fioni its scent and by its <iuick stronif vision the bear apprehends the position of the seal. Then it throws itself prone upon the ice, and profitin<( by inequalities which are invisible to human (iyes, },nadually steals upon its destined victim by a soft and scarcely perceptible movement of the hind feet. To hide its black nmzzle, it constjintly uses its fore feet; and thus, only the dinj^y white of its coat beint,' visible, it is scarcely to be distin<;uislied from the general mass of tiie floe. Patiently it draws nearer and nearer; the seal, mistakin<f it for one of its own congeners, or else yielding to a fatal curiosity, delaying until its assailant, with one spring, is upon it. Yet, as the old adage says, there is many a slip; and even in these circumstances the bear does not always secure its feast. It is disap- pointed sometimes just as the prey seems \\itli- in its grasp; and how keen the disappointment is can be a[)preciated only, we are told, by hapless Arctic travellers, " who have been hours crawlinix uf), dreaming of delicious seal's fry and overtlow- ing fuel bags, and seen the prey pop down a hole when within a hundred yards of ; The great muscular power of the seal frequently enables it to tling itself into the water in spite of the bear's eftbrts to hold it on the floe ; Bruin, how- ever, retains his grip, for his diving powers are not much inferior to those of the seal, and down they go togethe
Size: 1289px × 1939px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1876
