The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-24

those OF the ordinary Black bear nearly to the |
bulk of the Grizzly. As is the case with all |
dangerous wild beasts, opinions upon its char
acter differ Numerically: each writer general
izing from his own limited experience so as to
apply this to the entire species, in accordance
with the delusion that bear is a complicated
machine, worked by instinct in an invariabIe
way. In general appearance and in conorma-
ton the Brown bears traits are those OF ursina
animals Mt large Lockwood thinks that it has
n kind of grace of its own but as exhibited by
animate forms grace is largely matter OF
opinion. II is ut all events, solitary in habit |
of life, extremely formidable, often Precious
the female, as a rule, being the most so-eats
flesh. though it mostly subsists on vegetable |
matter aud in average size is about six feet |
long and from three to three and half feet |
high ut the shoulder. There is one crcnm- |
stance connected with this creature that car |
res more weight with regard to its disposition, |
conduct and power of otlense than volumes OF |
stories about its fercencss and force In Sean
dinayia, among the hyperborean tribes of both |
Asia and America and with our Northern IN
dams, this bear was or is worshiped. This fact
is of unmistallablc significance. The bear was
adored aud prOpitiated for the same reason that
the tiger, cobra, wild elephant, etc, have re-
ceived divine honors namely, because he had
at some time made himself terrible. Az pres
ent the Russians of the northeast coast OF Slbe-
ria look upon the capture of n Brown bears
cubs In the light of an undertaking as desper-
ate as Gerard describes robbing pair OF lions
OF their whelps to be; and throughout the
widespread distribution of this species, tales
of disasters which have attended its pursuit
abound
OF the demeanor and general habits of the
1sabeline or Snow bear of the Himalayas, we
know more than of the Siberian, Japanese or
Barren ground bear, )" because IL has been more
hunted by those who have recorded their ex-
periences. biologists are in the habit of con-
filming tho color of this beast TO shades between
fawn aud white, but among other Observers Col.
Markham, who may be accepted as one OF the
most reliable states that this animal is known,
according to the individual fancy Of sportsmon,
as the brown red, yellow. white, and silver bear
They never descend" he says, =" TO the lower
bills, being only found in the high
and cold regions near the snow" In IhIbet
varieties may exist, hut such is not the case in
the Himalayas Here the color, as we'll as
length and thickness of the coat, depend upon
the season. Darker in Summer, the hair
BECOMES LONGER AND LIGHTER AS WINTER
DRAWS NIGH"
No uniformity of tint prevails at any time
Age, food and individual variation produce
effects such that If the skins of two which had
run into opposite extremes as to color were laid
before close student of natural history, he
would be apt TO declare them of different vario-
| ties" No data exists for estimating the aver
age size of the Isabelline bear accurately. There
| are no doubt, more or less definite proportions
| for this ANIMAL but individuals and also local
| groups vary. In all animals, however, weight
and strength stand in this relation, that the
| former increases the cube. the latter as tho
| square of dimension, so that if this class of or
! ganisms should grow like plants indefinitely,
! they might readily become too heavy TO move.
The circumstances oil life have likewise
/ effected differences in this creatures DISPOSE
! ton according to localities. In Northern Eu-
| rope the bear is not now as much dreaded ms
! the wolf although so much moro formidable
| individually. Temper in wild beasts and their
! fighting powers count far more than relative
| force. In the barren grounds aud Sberia
/ men with imperfect arms regard bFuin as
terrible adversary, aud Wilson and others say
| the same of the Silver bear, which some natur-
aiists identify with that of the Lcbanon--the
/ Syrian bear. as IL is caled--although there are
marked differences between them. Maj Love.
son regarded aud with good reason, that of the
! Caucasus as ierocious aud very dangerous, while
! Col. Markham states his opinion Of its natural
| character thus: " No wild animal is. / consider,
80 quickly and easily tanned rs the young Of the
| Snow bear" With respect 10 It's instructive
! fear of man, lac relates that on ono OCCASION he
| aud his party encountered one Of the creatures
| which was not fullgrOwn. 1.-The men called
30 it. For some time II stood motionlcss, but
at length. strange 10 say IL came up to within
| "A few PAGES. aud even then seemed quite Mt "a
loss what 10 make Of u.s." This conduct tho
| writer attributes 10 the probable loss OF its
mother. when very young" aud to the fact
| that " IL had never before seen human being"
| Little information concerning its degree of In
teligcnce is 10 be found, and there il 40 reason
for regarding 10 as 80 hopcessly dali brute rs
| the ordinary bill bear, which, when caught, as
he frequently is. in a musk deer trap, from which
| fox p0le-cat would bite himself free at
once, stays there aud howls like an idiot, until
his paw soughs Oh, or lac staryes, or somebody
comes and kills him.
In further proof that the bear Of the high
| HimalayAn ranges Is not 50 savage as it's con-
gcner elsewhere. is tue fact that while, accord
ing 20 all accounts. maternal affection Is much
developed. IL does not as a rule appear 10 fight
for It's young When retreat is cut OF she
bear will cover her cubs body with her own
body, aud make fcint Of charging 10 break
through the line, but apparently this Is only
done 70 encourage its offspring aud indicate the
way OF escape. aud not. as IN other instances
because IL Is Infatuated 10 the extent that rage
takes the place Of all other feelings.
Information Is the rule with this species,
and 20 far as can be gathered from reliable
sources IL not only differs from the Black bear
OF the hillsin this particular, but when wound
ed 1t does not make the lamentable outcries
that characterize that animal aud It's repre-
sentaiiyes on the plains. IL roars, indeed, but
{ in anger, like the one whose portrait is here
given; an immense animal. four feet high at
, the shoulder aud weighing 500 pounds, which
was killed by Maj. Leveson In company with
lll0ri Bey and small army OF beaters on a
spur Of the Caucasus near Suchum Kaleh If
this monster had cOptented himself with kill
ing men his conduct might have met with
somewhat the same tolerance that homicide
receives in certain parts OF the United States.
z But he carried off horses aud this could no
! more DO endured by the Circassians than il
! could in Western Texas. Public sentiment
went strongly against him, and Leves0ns arri-
' val with double-barreed rifles was look ed upOu
IN the light Of dispensaton. He made Il gal
/ liant defense when attacked in his mountain
{ retreat, killing several dogs and seriously
wounding an Abassian bcater. The odds were
too great, however, aud when the Major met
: him face 10 face In underground so thick that
charging was impossible, his immense strength
and formidable fangs aud claws did not avail
q against the grooved bore aud heavy balls.
ITO be cOnttiued)
@ Every man t0h0 a0Ore The blue and eUer1
!. friend Of his, should take THE national
. TRIBUNE. III giues more and better matter
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