The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
HUMOR on THE BLACK BEAR
BRUTN or CALIFORNIA a roUaH As
YELL as A COMEDIAN.

a..
Can Eat Anything from Ants TO m ORA
Model Father That Makes Sport for the
~Cube-Sa@acity in E1udinG the Hunter
Ferocity OF the Black Bear when Aroused
POMONA, CAL. Aug. 23.-The black bear is as
different from the grizzly In disposition and
character as the lion is from the hyena. The
grizzly IL q great bulkinG. mean. dyspeptic.
savage and always ugly brute, while the black
bear Ia Mt once the fun-loving comedian and the
bold, reckless tough OF the American noun
tains. Probably no other beast on four feet has
quito 30 many humorous ways or the same
strain OF backwoods philosophy rs the common
black bear. Hunters and trappers tell how
they have spent hours In quiet amusement
while, lying concealed by brush. they have
watched the antics or q family OF
black bears in the homo den. Old hunters say
that black bears know TINT they are humorous.
Many a hunter will sit oil night by n campfire
and argue that he knows that black bears smile
at their own nonsense. But this same anus
ing. prankish, clumsy black fellow is q terror
even to the oldest and coolest hunters after
wild beasts when enrnged or wounded or
trapped. and In It's rage It will attack with des-
perate fero,ity anything in tho animal line.
Black bears Of the Pacific coast seldom weigh
more than ESQ pounds. The average 10 400
pounds. Col. Theodore Roosevelt. who has
hunted bears and written about them, say
that he has seen black bears In Wyoming that
weighed TOO pounds. The chief differences be-
tween grizzly and black bears are In color. size.
and the shape and length OF the claws. The
grizzly bears weigh from 600 to 1900 pounds.
and stand at full height sometimes seven and
q half feet high. The claws OF q grizzly are
sharply curved, and vary from three to 1--WE
inches in length, and have projecting edges as
! sharp as razors; the claws OF a black hear
are seldom three inches long. and are straight.
/ like q dogs. Experienced hunters instantly
distinguish a black bears track from that OF
q grizzly. Grizzly bears have q coarse. shaggy
pelt, while black bears have a smooth End
rather glossy coat Of hair. except about the
face. which is tan or straw colored. Black
bears live about twenty-five years. Two black
bears from California confined In the GEOLOGICAL
Garden in Philadelphia lived nearly thirty
years. but that was unusual.
The remarkable strength OF q black bear r.
largely in It's shoulders and forepaws. II rarely
hugs its victim to death. as do grizzlies and
Arctic bears, but relies upon the power Of it's
chance Of, escape from q pursnar win rise upon
Its lns6 5i r. , lesss oG an "a f come ,F Ethriding f0TITperd to
flash. unless shot down or overpowered. it will
S Shsst s. B2 a. 70 a ifIl td hin ap eS f hin F aSS ! %itS Eh bern
SS IA :SJ FRI i Gsiiso ssa. Wig; tItts.htss SstSssa
t Re0g black 'P bear Sn .Sf%os d1q Invariably ! ' sttac SaeS
height on iits hind legs and dealing the
bull q powerful blow across, the, eyes or on
bears paw. and il was common to see q bull so
tSas Sr Sy q could sarPdff fsTr1o1%S { RlG to t hSsO sTo shs e SsS
tear, its neck into shreds. The strength of
easses G tSsy e Is r99 lons s' dist Sg sss 70 thsif o. c Sh5s
or their dens. Hunters tell OF having trailed
SsiFhi SSFrlE ro% P FL 10 e 95S po SGlis f fos t ssse Gs
f mere miles rnsssS Up SuI steep oT moS araSs od ban,d and
for the hunter to oyertake them. Ranchmen
in nearly every county, in California and Oregon
the fields have been almost .Eflled BY a single
blow Tnon the he'd Se3S t struck BY a ravenous and
pe STaFn 70 b sdH% SH That tah@ ew SeaF is f one q aff tSe
S Sla@ 5 s q sRi% 9f the b bear G Is dae to of the aS:
sence OF the %clavicle or shoulder bone. which in
dom serves to keep the shoulders apart. When
the bear walks. It's shoulder blades and foreless
s ToRSie' 9 TSe enc essy sq aieRifs sdeS earr e Ss s q %s%.
beers otthe feline tribe Is largely due 70 their
stFonng gNa Nk San and In the tS contract LappSa mechanical
S Of fsss S S4e 81 ssf ioSse 4 tRa ta It fhS aGlats q 81 the ihe
trap or torn the fastened paw from the teeth Of
The cubs Of bears. are born with their eyes
they can see. In California. where caves and
f seSr viii t soset sSere dir VIZ Wieh a their S Claws 1a q c s%S i9
the soft earth side q a mountain or Sanon.
some six or seven feet into the mountainsides.
and the bears will cover the floor with leaves or
are are born. the male Bear ministerins :" to The
wants Of the female and her young for a few
weeks, At The end Of nine months the young
The diet Of Black bears probably includes the
come next to their black brothers With yo1niY.
orous 1ppetites.. Brui1,s hunger may be APP
OK. xbessr viii feast for days at atlmte on Grn6s.
gophers and field mice. It will wax strong on
fish diet for a whole season. will 20 miles to get
a,PiG or a sheep or a cali or a colt and will
equally well on flesh or vegetables and, viii eat
green corn In the husk. or smack its lips over
melons and deyour grapes with as much fond
kinds and acorns are Bruins chief diet at some
seasons mSsR IS T rhsf pear sGd doy WiII IAN 4Iat ana I'd pre- presS fISS se as
There may be doubt. as to the exact variety
S ShIa q ssy Who ~ made dsls seS SfS \, E Bis SSs2 bald PATE 10
but but G e ltiSGssn TAB hunters kIssE viii HAS aeq " I.t the black black
perate or they, have been nsddenod by pain Of
everything possible to get out Of the way OF a
I 6I1f al and Lima HHnar rn adm man ? even y hungry; M
select the darkest. night for tProwiing among
pigpens and sheepfolds: But the good nature
changed In q moment II 1t is hurt or so closely
followed BY q hunter that 1t sees no means Of
escape. In a twinkllng the most amlnble black
bear may become an animated cyclone and
dash at its p~ursuers to kill or be killed.
The sense OF smell In q bear Is extraordinary.
tree nlled with honey a mile away. Hunters OF
sagacity OF black bears seeking their food. It
IL common for a person walking through. the
valleys to come upon the ruins Of O great dome:
like hill OF ants. It shows where a bear has had
q eeommHnity OF ants, and never wastes any
time In making the attack, With, one sweep Of
y f RSS~a nthil iofePahS mS rs~S 81 COURTS rts T TSli
leTies and tunnels made bg the ants, Is
put its open mouth down Into the hill
where the tunnels and galleries run into o cen
mouth ants and their eggs. A dozen strong
inhalations will, generally. depopulate an ant