Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15

but one way to get him. and that was to 70 up
and bling him down.
This Mr.. Hofer did. Taking with him coil
Of small rope and . long stick he boldly climbed
the tree and in midair, where the tree threat
ened to break under the weight of man and
bear, he worked q alp moose around the young
ster's foot. Then he pulled him to the ground,
whence he was borne away to the camp in
triumph.
This promising scion of the bear family never
reached the Zoo, for he died ingloriously . few
days later. Indeed. from one cause or another
from sickness or escape. the Zoo collectors lose
many OF their young captives before they are
delivered for transportation. This one WAS Sc
cureiy chained to post, on the top of which he
sat large portion of his time, giving vent to
pear-iike bowls expressive of . bad disposition.
One dark night, when the rain was
pouring In torrents, a big bear passed along
and destroyed him. There were q few pieces
left hanging iphis collar. but the rest OF him
was carried away or devoured. This is a
strange way the bears have Of treating those
OF their own tribe they find captive. The
,strohe Of their powerful fo-epaws is sufficient
TO crush in cubs skull and in a twinkling the
carcass IS torn to, fragments. The next morn
ing tracks of a bear measuring ten ihches were
found Tor twelve miles along the government
road.
DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ASTELoPEs.
The most difficult animals to approach and
capture are the antelopes. 1t is well-nigh i'm
possible TO trap them and they are extremely
shy of human visitors. On this account I'M
usual caution is required in observing them
and discovering the hiding places of their kids.
They roam in herds On their rumps are pc
cuiiar tufts Of long white hair. which
is smooth and glossy when they are un-
disturbed. but when they become frightened
aui intend to run these tufts OF hair rise 10 oA
eud like the quilts of a porcupine. This is
very noticeable with the kids even after they
are very tame.
The kids do not run away as the elk calves
sometimes do. CITING the hunter long. hot
chase. They always lie where their mothers
conceal them. and. like young buffalo. believe
themselves entirely obscured if their heads are
kept out of sight under some shrub or old root.
Their color Is yellowish gray. and they fatten
themselves on the Sroundin the most wkward
positions. Their bodies and legs are SO twisted
about that IL appears as IL some huge foot had
stepped upon them and left n shapeless mass.
When the hunter comes CT one,by the side of
rock or crouchinS IN the sage brush it will not
stand If raised and drops to the ground if left
unsupported.
The wild habits of the ack-tailed or mule deer
much resemble those OF the antelope only they
are still more shy of man. These two species
are BY far the swiftest of all the animals in the
Yellowstone. They scent the hunter from
long distance. There several OF these in
the deer paddOcks at the Zoo. bat the y:are very
tame now. and poke their sfrcctI0.ate noses
through the wire fence with the others for bon
b0ns. In the wild state their great ears are
always on the move to catch the slightest sound.
and their nostrils work though feeling for
danger.
The sep of the young fawns is noiseless as
a dream. They have beautiful white spots on
their bodies. very silky coat anChhair tia: in
clines to curl about the neck. When discovered
III their hiding places they start up and run
away swiftly. 1t Is rarely possible to catch
them. except with a trained dog taught to
thrust his nose under their sides as they run,
i'll this manner throwing them without injlry
70 the ground. Smce they run i'll circles the
hunter is aiways near by and quietly rushes up
for the capture.