Year: 1873

A correspondent writes to the Chica-
go Tribune from Colorado of the nature,


habits, and peculiarities of that noble
animal-the bear. He says


The mOuntain-ranges of Colorado
are very well supplied with bears, and
during the fall of the year, when the
plums and grapes are ripe, it is nothing
unusual to stumble upon a dozen or so
of the brutes In half an hours walk.
There are three distinct species-the
common brown or black bear, who still
maintains precarious foothold in many
of the eastern states, and is hunted
with much ceremony; the cinnamon,
and the genuine grizzly. The CHINA
mon chap is about the color of brick
dust, and his fighting weight ranges
all the way from eight hundred to one
thousand pounds. He is a supple, ac-
tive brute, and inclined to be a genuine
coward. Meet him in a secluded place
and he will skulk off with his tail be-
tween his legs, like coyote; but he is
apt to prove a dangerous customer when
wounded and brought at bay. Then he
assumes the offensive, and true rife
and steady nerve are required on the
part of the sportsman, or his bearship
Will proceed to form an acouaintance
more close than agreeable. If good
tree is at hand and the hunter can scale
it, so much the better, as the CHINA
mons do not climb and knowledge of
this fact tends to restore confidence.
The majority of men I have conversed
with prefer to hunt them in this way.
In some instances the cinnamon, after
being badly hit, rushes at the tree up
which his antagonist has Skinned for
dear life, seizes it with his teeth and
claws and attempts to tear it down.
At this critical juncture it is best for
the hunter to preserve his composure,
and not fly off the handle. The bear
may keep him imprisoned an hour or so:
but Bruin has a small stock of patience.
and when he ascertains that the posi-
ton is impregnable he gives up the Job
in disgust, and retires in good order,
The grizzly, however, stands at the
head of the bear family, and is more
respect and feared than all others. He
is treacherous, sullen, malicious, des-
perate, ill-mannered, uncouth. shaggy
brute,-one who stubbornly resists all
advances toward friendship, andl lis ready
at any time to die in the last ditch.
Like the immortal old Guard, of Ma
poleon, your genuine grizzly never
surrenders, but is game to the last.
The grizzly has lordly, independent
bearing, and on his native mountain
sides or in the forests will hardly deign
to make room for man himself. If you
meet one in the road the chances are
that he will not bulge an inch, unless
he happens to be in an accommodating
mood, and then he,will trot out one side
few yards, rear himself upon his enor-
nous launches, and graciously wait
for you to pass. No matter whether
you are armed with breech- loading
Ballard, needle-gun, Winchester, or
Sharp, never ATTACK a grizzly alone or
out in the open country. The only safe
position is on the back of 8 good horse
or in the limbs of cottonwood tree.
Many persons, disregarding this advice,
have paid for their temerity with their
lives for no matter where you shoot
a grizzly, whether through the heart or
brain-box, he never gives up the ghost
without struggle, and will fight as
long as he can lift paw"