Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-12-03
BEAR BABIESAND THEIR CUL.
TIFATJON

An attendant Of the geological Gar
den, at Cincinnati, furnishes local
correspondent Of the Enquirer, the fol.
lowing on raising young bruins
About the middle OF January last,
the female black bear in collection
refused TO come out of her den into the
open pit, and would not allow the male
bear 10 approach her. She was imme.
diatcIy closed in, and furnished with
an abundance Of hay, with which she
busted herself in making a nice warm
bed. At A P. NJ on January 26 the
young ones were born, and did not
see them until three days alter, when
| was surprised by the keeper inform.
ing me that she would allow him to
enter the den. On going with him, he
unlocked the door, fearlessly walked
in, and quickly began feeding her with
bits of bread, which he sliced from q
loaf in his hand. By holding the bread
just over her head he finally tempted
her to sit up on her launches, when
obtained clear view of tho young
ones, lying asleep just back OF her front
paws. From where | stood, about six
feet distant, they did not seem to ex-
ceed six inches IN length, were dirty
whitish color, and appeared entirely
bare Of hair. In about ten days their
coats began TO show, and were OF
greyish tint, which gradually passed
through the various shades until they
became brownish. black. 1t was Just
forty days before the first ones eyes
opened, and two days after, the second
followed suit. From that time for.
ward | watched very closely to ascer-
tain the exact time that would elapse
before the young ones would leave the
nest, and on the seventy-frst day after
birth when the mother, as was her
habit, came to the grating to be fed,
one of the youngsters left the nest and
followed her. SO soon as she found it
out, she Immediately drew it gently
back, and on its second attempt she
cutied il soundly, which put stop to
its wanderngpropensity. After few
days she allowed them to wander
about at will, provided no one was i'm.
mcdiately in front Of the den but so
soon as visitor put in an appearance,
they were driven back into the nest,
and not allowed to emerge until the
stranger was out OF sight. For some
time she always suckled them in one
position, lying over and completely
covering them by stretching fat, with
her legs drawn up under her and her
head tucked down between her front
paws. AS they grew older and began
to run about, she would sit on her
launches, lazily lean back against tho
wall take cub on each forearm and
npiu them up 10 ncr bIoast untn tney
were satisfied. They soon became OK
pert climbers, taking advantage of the
slightest inequalities OF the stone walls
and the cracks between the heavy
oakcn planks 70 reach the ceiling of
the den on three sides, whilst the graf.
ing in front served capitaly for their
skylarking. Occasionally they would
have regular sparring bout, standing
erect feinting, countering, and making
use OF many OF the tricks Of old vota.
ries Of tho p. II. These frolics would
generally end in clincb, fall, and
regular rougb.and tumble 6ght, when
the mother would abruptly put stop
TO II by suddenly knocking both ofthe
contestants completely out Of time. 10
iact as they grew apace, the parental
visitaticns increased so rapidly, ] be-
gan to fear she would put an end TO-
my bear Investigations by chastizing
the lives ont of them, but Of late she
has slackcned in her attentions, and ]
am in hopes OF following the growth OF
Ursus Americanus from babyhood to
adolescence.