Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-30
THE BEARS WE'RE AT HOME.
The Interesting Spectacle Two FIsherm FL
Enjoyed at Their Leisure.

PoCoNG, June 10th.-Two trout fisher
men report having seen novel and in
teresting sight in the woods two or three
miles from this place ON Tuesday. They
were tramping along a ridge on their way
home when they came to a spot that over
looked large tract of low land, with Il
great deal of fallen timber scattered about
and many decaying stumps. Through it
ran 4 small brook. The sight that at
tracted the attention of the men was a
large bear standing i'll the creek, while
another one was digging away the stumps,
followed closely by three cubs. The spec
tators were not more than hundred feet
away from the bear family, but had not
been seen. They sat down in the bushes
and watched the maneuyers of the bears
At this season of the year bears have shed
their thick coats of fur, and are better en-
abled to undergo the long tramps they
now begun in search of food This during
the summer, in addition to that got in an
occasional visit to sheep pasture or pig
sty, is ants, grubs, angle-worms, fish, frogs
insects and reptiles of all kinds, and the
tender growths of wild grass and water
weeds. They seek the "down timber" in
search of ants and grubs. Every stump
or log that harbors them is instantly de
tected by Bruin, when, with claws and
teeth, the spot where the nests are is soon
laid bare and their contents Tapped up.
The bear family whose presence the two
fishermen had discovered were foraging
after this manner. The old bear that stood
in the creek remained perfectly motion
less, gazing intently in the stream, some
times for five minutes at time, when sud-
denly one of his huge forepaws, which he
kept raised few inches would drop into
the water with a splash, and rest on the
bottom. Then the bear would thrust his
nose down to the bottom, and when, it was
lifted out again fish would be brought up
i'll the bears mouth. Sometimes, instead
of fish, he would capture frog, and once
to the disgust of the watchers, brought to
the surface a wriggling snake, which he
soon dispatched and ate. Now and then
he would carry his catch to the shore and
lay it down before the cubs and frequently
shared with his mate. Whenever fish
was laid out for the cubs, all three would
rush for it, and savage struggle, during
which the cubs snarled and bit and tum-
bled over one another, would result. The
other old bear gave her undivided atten-
ton to the stumps and logs, and the cubs
followed her closely, sharing in all the
delicacies she uncovered. The two men
watched the bears for more than an hour,
during which time the one bear had torn
up almost an acre of decaying timbers, and
and the other one had captured many fish
and reptiles. The spectators, firing of the
amusement afforded by this glimpse of the
domestic life nf wild hearc rolled n Iorr,a
stone down the hill and sent up a loud
shout The old bears snorted and drew
together, and the cubs whining like young
dogs, cuddled close to their parents. Then
all five shufiied off at a rapid gait and dis
appeared in the thick laurels and hem
locks.--Nelr York San.