Connecticut western news., 1889-07-17

of fringe of bullberry bushes, which skirted the stream above the spring where my elk lay. I pricked my ears and looked sharply for the game, which from the muffled sound I took to be two or three bears running down the canon.
 'I had no time to speculate upon the nature of the animals before there bounded in sight two big tawny noun tain lions! They were racing down the canon, jumping sidewise and run ming against each other in way that was, no doubt, intended to be playful, and was just about to stop one of them with a shot from my rife when in the same breath each of them caught 8 scent of the elk's carcass and came to a sudden halt.
 ''They stood for moment with heads erect, ears pricked forward, and tails switching eagerly, their yellow eyes gleaming and scintillating, the white spots on their breasts offering a splen : did target if had cared to shoot at once. They were fine, sleek animals with glossy coats, far more imposing iu looks and much larger than the pan ther of the east and south and I was anxious to bag both of them, which I thought might make sure of doing if they attacked my bait, as I might easily bore them both with single shot from my Winchester express if they got in range.
 "They hesitated but an instant, few seconds rather, then leaped the channel of the stream with catlike jumps, and approached the elk which they cautious ly sniffed with pointed noses. I re- joiced at the prospect of securing two such magnificent cats.
 "One of them, the larger and male, came up to the bait frs t, snuffed it over, lick ed the fresh blood about the neck, then with sudden proprietary air he mounted the carcass with bis forefeet, gave satisfactory purr, that sounded like the muffled drumming of a partridgc's wings, and switched his tail about with snapping motion at the end, just as cat with fresh caught mouse in her paws might have done.
 "The female took her turn at licking the bloody neck, and snarled her cat pleasure at the prospect of gratuitous feast. They did not seem to be in the least hungry, for they made no move toward devouring, but after snuffing and examining the game for a bit they sat about scratching leave, and dirt over it, with the evident intention of pre- serving or hiding it for future use.
 ''Thinking my time had now come, l shifted my position carefully, and brought my gun to bear upon them, waiting only for an opportunity to make one bullet kill or cripple them both, as feared that the unhurt one would get out of sight before could get a fair shot at 1t.
 "suddenly, the big one threw him. self upon the elk with harsh snarl, his hair rising on end, his ears laid back, and his tail swift itching viciously as he lay at full length, his head turned away from me, evidently watching some ob- ject down the canon. The female, too, advanced nearly beside him, her hair sticking out like bristles, and her angry snarling was deeper and more threaten ing than his.
 ''At first 1 could see nothing of the intruder against which this fierce threat. ening was launched, but I more than suspected it's nature, and my excitement rose. Either another lion or bear wa: approaching, I felt certain, and so il proved; it was grizzly, and one of the largest had ever seen
 "He reared himself suddenly out ol the bed of the little stream, only a few yards from the lions and the elk. H, had been travelling up the bed of tho crcek,-a bears often do in shallow stream.-and attracted by tn, snarls of the lions who had heard him oming had emerged to see what the fuss was about.
 "To my delight he took in the situa tion at 8 glance and without minute hesitation he shambled toward the bel ligerent cats, mingling his hoars growls with their savage snarliugs.
 II had heard that the mountain lior would not run from grizzly, but dit not believe it, and despite the fearfu threatning of the two before me, ex pected to see them give way as the mon strous bear came up. Imagine my as tonishment when, as the grizzly charged within leaping distance, both of tn partners sprang upon him instantly.
 II could not properly describe tn scene which followed. Both brute bounced upon the grizzly tooth and mai and closed with him in such fury o savage outcries as made my hair rise and my whole body rrickle with intens excitement.
 "The grizzly reared as the two ani mals struck him; as he came up into sitting position upon his launches h shook the female lion from his shoulder But the male lion held him by tn