Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist: Being popular descriptions, tales, and anecdotes of more than Five Hundred Animals.Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
General
Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist: Being popular descriptions, tales, and anecdotes of more than Five Hundred Animals.
Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Animals -- Juvenile literature; Zoology -- Juvenile literature
THIS animal inhabits the Northern districts of America, where it is
found in considerable numbers. It is somewhat smaller than the Brown or
European Bear; its colour of an uniform and glossy black. Its food
consists chiefly of fruits, the young shoots, and roots of vegetables
and grain. In quest of these it occasionally emigrates from the northern
to the more southern regions. Their retreats, during the period of
gestation, are so impenetrable, that although immense numbers of Bears
are annually killed in America, a female is rarely found among them. In
autumn, when they are become exceedingly fat by feeding on acorns and
other similar food, their flesh is extremely delicate, the hams in
particular are highly esteemed, and the fat is remarkably white and
sweet. At this time and during the winter, they are hunted, and killed
in great numbers by the American Indians.
[Illustration: THE GRISLY BEAR, (_Ursus Ferox_,)]
WHICH is also an inhabitant of North America, is a creature of enormous
size and strength; a specimen has been measured and found to be nine
feet in length; and it is capable of carrying the carcass of a bison,
weighing probably about a thousand pounds. His ferocity corresponds with
his powers of destruction; and he is altogether one of the most
formidable of quadrupeds.
[Illustration: THE BROWN EUROPEAN BEAR, (_Ursus Arctos_,)]
IS a native of the North of Europe, and also of the mountainous parts of
the South of that continent. He is a great sleeper, and passes the whole
winter in his den, without any particular food: but if we consider his
being at rest, losing little by perspiration, and never retiring to his
winter quarters before he is properly fattened, his abstinence will
cease to be wonderful. When tamed, this animal appears mild and obedient
to his master; he may be taught to walk upright, to dance, to lay hold
of a pole with his paws, and perform various tricks to entertain the
multitude, who are highly pleased to see the awkward movements of this
rugged creature, which it seems to suit to the sound of an instrument,
or to the voice of its leader. The discipline Bears undergo in teaching
them to dance is so severe, that they never forget it; and an amusing
story is told of a gentleman who was pursued by a Bear, and who, when in
despair he turned and raised his stick against his assailant, was
astonished to see the Bear rear itself on its hind legs, and begin to
dance. It had escaped from captivity, and had been taught to dance when
a stick was held up by its keeper. But to give the Bear this kind of
education, it must be taken when young, and accustomed early to
restraint and discipline, as an old Bear will not suffer constraint
without discovering the most furious resentment: neither the voice nor
the menaces of his keeper have any effect upon him; he growls equally at
the hand that is held out to feed, and that which is raised to correct
him. The female Bears bring forth two or three young, and are very
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account