Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-08
This and That
BIZ Charles E.Tracepell

ION days like this" said the first lady.
when feel blue. I like to go QUITO the
Zoo" -
The second lady smiled brightly.
oh" she exclaimed. Il think that is won-
derful! And you have some group you like
best2 Let us say, the birds?"
Bears" replied the first lady. Il can
watch the bears by the shour. take my
knitting, and just watch the bears"
Well, that Is an idea.
No doubt many persons. In At Of de-
spondency, would do well to go TO the bear
dens.
Those roly-poly denizens Of the pits have
q fascination all their own.
|. One could do great deal worse than
watch them.
They are q great deal like people-color-
ful. interesting, treacherous-and funny.
They look better behind bars than in the
open. though.
In the old days. before ZOOS. all people
knew about them they learned in the woods,
and often the lesson was not nice.
A bear is deceptive.
That restless, shutting. rolling gait we
watch at the Zoo contains more sheer
strength than we realize.
bear can break your arm with one swipe
OF his great paw and forearm.
He can break your back and chest with q
single hug.
He can tear your scalp and hair OF at
one movement. as unwary persons have
found out.
Never. underestimate bear, whether he
is in cage, on leash, or roaming through
woods or across fields or roads
In the old days. Washington city streets
were full of bears on chains.
They came on long chains, affixed to the
hand Of the keeper. usually swarthy fellow
who seemed somewhat bear-like himself
1t was no unusual sight to see the big
four-leggers rolling along @ street.
Dogs would keep q respectful distance,
while baying at them.
The sound of the bark is unusually deep
when dog sees bear. Only those who have
gone on bear hunts. or seen them in the
streets in the old days. can understand how
dog can get that deeper tone.
Largest of the carnivores bears are easily
recognized by the youngest child. They come
in various colors. but are all alike in general
outline and possession of great strength.
Bears are called plantigrade animals. that
Is. they walk on the soles of their feet with
the heels touching the ground.
Just as man does?
Correct There Is good science as well as
observation In the old saying, The bear
that walks like man."
Even the foOt prints are much like those
of man.
Most bears are brown or black. although
the polar specimens show a modification to
meet the Arctic conditions. Whatever the
Color, they are all bears. with silhouettes
alike, and dispositions.
Our two best known bears are the famous
grizzly and the black bear.
The grizzly weighs from 900 to 800 pounds
truly tremendous animal.
The black bear Is smaller. weighing from
200 to 400 pounds. This was the performing
bear. very well able to climb tree. with an
almost gentle disposition, and given to
Glowing on the side. This is the bear that
gave SO many people the idea that you could
treat bear almost any old way. II Is q
wonder that any of them are left. In the old
days. more than $4,000 black bear skins were
shipped to England year.
The black bear is q card" as 1t were He
has been called the most amusing, ludicrous.
the most human and understandable of our
wild animals. 1t has an almost human habit
of pretending not TO zee fellow bear when
it meets one. Cubs ordered up trees by the
mother bear never come down until she calls
them.
Not all black bears are black. Some are
yellow-brown. others almost yellow. and stil
others mouse colored.
Grizzlies stand to feet tall: black bears,
almost Ga feet. These are wonderful ami
mails. vsu worth Watching.