Animal products; . shing before the progress of black bear is by far the most numerous, but few of the grizzlyspecies being found. An average skin is worth five dollars—avery good one (she-bear), from six to seven. They are principallyused for saddle housings and harness trimmings, and sometimesfor sleigh robes. Their skins as furs are best when the animalsare just issuing from their winters sleep; and at that season theIndians are reaping their bear harvest. About 8,000 bear-skins are annually imported by the HudsonsBay Company, and some others are brought from the United Sta
Animal products; . shing before the progress of black bear is by far the most numerous, but few of the grizzlyspecies being found. An average skin is worth five dollars—avery good one (she-bear), from six to seven. They are principallyused for saddle housings and harness trimmings, and sometimesfor sleigh robes. Their skins as furs are best when the animalsare just issuing from their winters sleep; and at that season theIndians are reaping their bear harvest. About 8,000 bear-skins are annually imported by the HudsonsBay Company, and some others are brought from the United States,Canada, &c. In 1806, 9,255 bear-skins were received by the Hudsons Bay BEARS, AND BEARSKINS. 249 Company; in 1866, 7,855. In 1870 we received from America11,777 bear-skins, valued at ^15,2 7 8. In later years the Board ofTrade have not specified the separate skins imported as furs. The Black Bear inhabits every wooded district of the Ame-rican continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Carolina. A POLAR BEAR HUNT WITH ESQUIMAUX DOGS. to the shores of the Arctic sea. The fur on the body is long,straight, shining, and black. The cinnamon bear is consideredto be an accidental variety of this species. They hibernate in thenorthern fur countries for about six months, being in a fat condi-tion j further south they only hide themselves for three or fourmonths. Sir John Richardson tells us that at one time theskin of a black bear, with the fur in prime order and the claws 250 VARIETIES OF BEAR. appended, was worth from twenty to forty guineas, but at presentthe demand for them is so small, from their being little usedeither for muffs or hammer-cloths, that the best sell for lessthan 40j. There is a black bear-skin in the Collection of Furs inthe Museum. In the forty years ending with 1862, 10,000 black bear-skinswere obtained in Alaska. With the progress of settlement and civilisation, bears are fastpassing away both in northern Europe and America. Therewas a time when
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