New-York tribune., 1911-11-26
Big and Little Game Abounds
There, Including One Great
ure Whose Pelt Is
Worth $500.

that they were the largest carnivorous ani'
mails In the world needs little quainca-
tion.
II has also been said that the brown
hears are less ferocous than the griz-
lilies but the evidence is conflicting Ger
tainly they are more powerful and at close
quarters very dangerous. They come OUT
of their winter sleep early in the spring.
usually in April. When the salmon begin
to run they feed largely on them, and on
this account have been called fish bears or
ngh-eating bears, although otner pears
have the same habit. They eat great
variety of other food however, including
klein and shellish, obtained about tho
mouths Of streams and along tide nats'
and also berries, roots, ground squirreis
and mice obtained on higher ground.
The brown bears OF Alaska will DOUBT"
less become very rare or extinct at no
distant date. Such formidable, carnivor'
ous animals. even though not inclined 10
attack human beings. are commonly TO
garded as q menace to the safety OF rav-
eIlers. and therefore undeserving OF pro-
lection. Already they have become scarce
on Kodiak Island, where formerly aoun-
dant and on the Alaska Peninsula, though
still fairly numerous, they are being killed
AZ rate probably greatly in excess OF
their increase. In the heavy forests OK
southeast Ale ska and In the region VI
Mount ST. Elias they may hold theH own
, longer
Black bears are fairly common tnroush'
out all Alaska. They are among the ehSess
OF animals and many slip away wthou'
allowing themselves to be seen. mus !"
many districts where fairly common they
are supposed TO be scarce Belonging VIII"
the black bear group is the rare ana inter-
esting glacier bear. inhabiting the southern
stones OF the St Elias Range and nearby
mountains, at least from Cross SOUND 10
tho vicinity OF Cape St Elias This bear 10
sunnosed to live near the numerous glaciers
OF this region. but Its habits are pracucahS
unknown and so far as reported, IL mas
never been killed by a white man. ScarceS
dozen specimens. mostly imperfect arc
contained in the museums OF the worio'
The glacier bear is similar in size and gem
eral characteristics to the black bear dif-
fertnc however. in color, which Is silvery
gray slightly mixed with black. the nose
being brown and the feet blackisn' IN GER
tain conditions of peltage the color mas q
somewhat slaty or blush gray erect hehce
the name blue bear" which Is someumes
applied to the animal
| The well known polar bear, which Is no
! ,ess common near the northern coast Oh
! Alaska than elsewhere In similar lautuoes'
! cor,nIetes the list of Alaskas bears. wv
trg N the remoteness of its habitat II Is
seldom seen except by whaling or eHp'or-
! ing parties.
! Although the walrus is not always con-
sidered a game animal paragraph may 10
devoted TO It. since its imposing tusKs arc
of,en sought by trophy hunters and since
it has been protected by the Alaska game
law
.Iaeka,s game birds are mostly breeding
va,er fowl the same well known migratory
species which spend all or part OF tue WIN
| ter in the United States. therefore, "h'Io
the territory is highly important as rel
uge for large game, IL is scarcely less :"
az shelter for our surviving wateroirus'
DUCKS. geese and wadng birds, so recently
! ohundant on our coasts and inland waters
They are everywhere diminishing In num-
hers. and more than one species Is threat
ened with extinction In the near tuture'
The birds arrive in the north early in the
snrinp. in April or May and, after breed
ing start for the south In August and Sep
! tember. Among them are great numbers
NJ ducks. geese, swans and vast hordes OK
/ small shore birds, as ployers, snipes' cur :
LEWIS and sandpipers large proportion Oh
these stop in the United States in the iaii
or spend theswinter there.