A Natural History for Young People: Our Animal Friends in Their Native Homes: including mammals, birds and fishesHumphreys, Phebe Westcott
History
A Natural History for Young People: Our Animal Friends in Their Native Homes: including mammals, birds and fishes
Humphreys, Phebe Westcott
Natural history -- Juvenile literature
“The strength of four men was required to drag the ferocious brute from
the water; upon examining his body, he was found completely riddled;
there did not appear to be four inches of his shaggy person, from the
hips upward, that had not received a ball. There must have been at least
thirty shots made at him, and probably few missed him; yet such was his
tenacity of life that I have no doubt he would have succeeded in
crossing the river, but for the last shot in the brain. He would
probably weigh at the least six hundred pounds, and was about the height
of an ordinary steer. The spread of the foot laterally was ten inches,
and the claws measured seven inches in length. This animal was
remarkably lean. When in good condition he would doubtless much exceed
in weight the estimate given.”
When driven by hunger, the Grizzly Bear is especially fierce and daring
in seeking his prey, and (as our illustration shows on page 35) will
even approach a herd of Buffalo and attack a straying calf. He has
fallen upon this young Buffalo which has foolishly wandered apart from
the herd, and thrown him down. Directly will the Grizzly tear his prey
upon whose body his powerful fore paws are placed, when he is
interrupted in an unwelcome manner. The anguished bellowing and bleating
of the fallen animal have been heard by the distant feeding herd, and
the old Buffalos come immediately, their great, clumsy, heavy bodies
storming along with startling swiftness to punish the Bear for his
bloody deed. He sees that he must for the time being postpone his feast
and prepare to protect himself against the approaching attacking party
of whom especially the foremost steer, with colossal head sunk low, jaws
foaming and tail thrown up, presents a vivid picture of ungovernable
strength and fury. The outcome of the battle can not be doubtful to us.
Although the Grizzly could easily capture a single Buffalo, his great
strength can avail nothing against the whole herd of these great
animals. The Bear, who is a swift runner, must either seek safety in
flight, or find his end under the horns of his opponents.
THE WHITE, OR POLAR BEAR.
[Illustration: POLAR BEARS.]
The Polar Bear is a very distinct species, easily recognized by its
long, flat head, as well as by the white color and smoothness of its
fur. It is an inhabitant of the frozen shores of the northern
hemispheres, and semi-aquatic in its habits, swimming and diving with
the utmost ease and facility, for the purpose of capturing Seals, young
Whales and Fish, upon which it principally feeds; nevertheless, even
this animal is not altogether carnivorous, but feeds greedily on
vegetable substances whenever they can be procured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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