Daily national Democrat., 1859-04-01
Grizzly Bear.

The Grizzly Bear UrSus Horri64S)is is the |
largest and most formidable of the land ami |
mails of California. He grows to be four and |
a half feet high, and eight feet long with |
weight when very large and fat, of 800 |
pounds, being one of the largest of the car
niverous animals, and much heavier than the
lion OF tiger ever get to be. The Grizzly
Bear however, as ordinarily seen, does not
exceed 800 or 900 pounds. In color, the
body is o light greyish brown dirt color, dark
brown about the ears and along the ridge of
the back, and nearly black on the legs. The
hair is long, coarse and wiry; and stiff on
the top of the neck and between the should
ers. The Grizzly" as he is commonly called,
is more common in California than any other
kind of bear, ard was at one time exceeding
ly numerous for 80 large an animal, but he
offered So much sport for the hunters and did
50 much damage to the farmers, that he has
been industriously hunted. and his numl ers
have been greatly reduced. lie ranges
throughout the State, bnt prefers the chap
paral, whereas the black bear likes to make
his home in the heavy timber. The Grizzly
is very tenacious of life, and he is seldom
immediately killed by single bullet His
thick wiry hair, tough skin, heavy coats of
fat when in good condition, and lrge bones
90 far to protect his vital organs, but he Of
ten seems TO preserve all his strength and nc
tvity for an hour or more after having been
shot through the lungs and liver with large
rifle balls He is one of the most dangerous
animals to atack-perhaps indeed the most
dangerous. There is so much danger, that
when shot he will not he killed outr 5ht and
when wounded he is the most ferocious;
his strength is So great that he bears down
all opposition before him and he is very
quick in his motions his speed in running
Ocng nearly equal to that of Il horse. In at
tacking a man he will ordinarily rise on his
hind legs ana strike the man down with IA
blow of one of hi powerful paws, and then
commence 10 bite his PROSTATE foe. If the
man lies still with his face down, the bear
will usually content himself with biting him
for a while about the arms and leg. and will
then 90 few steps off and watch hlm. lfhe
moves, the bear will 20 back and give him
another biting; if he lies still, the Grizzly
will probably soon get tired OF watching him
and 20 away. But if the man attempts to
night while he is down, he will be in great
danger of being torn to pieces. There are
on an average, about dozen men killed
yearly in California by Grizzly Bears and
( perhaps as many more cruelty mutilated
" '""''' y lIc uIlLLlS Dear Is HOJ us
| posed to attack men, and never makes the
first assault unless driven 10y hunger or ma
te:nal anxiety. The she bear will attack
any man who comes near her cubs, and on
this account it is dangerous to 20 in the early
summer on foot through the chapparal where
bears abound. Usually a Grizzly will get
ont of the way when he sees or hears man,
and will sometimes, but rarely, run when
slightly wounded. Some parties say that
even when severely wounded, Grizzly will
not attack man il the latter stands firmly
and faces him; but this experiment requires
an amount of nerve and implies such risk
that no one would wish to try it. Some
hunters say that ten or fifteen years ago
Grizzly Bears were more disposed to attack
men than they are now. 1t is also said that
during the seventies of winter, it was moi
uncommon in the northern parts of the Stat,
for Grizzlies driven 10y hunger, to break into
the huts of the Indians ami eat them. Ala