dependent upon mere geographical considerations； for they are often
found in the same district。 Thus I found them both in the Bighorn
Mountains； each type being in extreme form； while the specimens I shot
showed no trace of intergradation。 The huge grizzled； long…clawed
beast； and its little glossy…coated； short…clawed； tree…climbing
brother roamed over exactly the same country in those mountains； but
they were as distinct in habits； and mixed as little together as moose
and caribou。
On the other hand； when a sufficient number of bears； from widely
separated regions are examined； the various distinguishing marks are
found to be inconstant and to show a tendencyexactly how strong I
cannot sayto fade into one another。 The differentiation of the two
species seems to be as yet scarcely completed； there are more or less
imperfect connecting links； and as regards the grisly it almost seems
as if the specific character were still unstable。 In the far
northwest； in the basin of the Columbia the 〃black〃 bear is as often
brown as any other color； and I have seen the skins of two cubs； one
black and one brown； which were shot when following the same dam。 When
these brown bears have coarser hair than usual their skins are with
difficulty to be distinguished from those of certain varieties of the
grisly。 Moreover； all bears vary greatly in size； and I have seen the
bodies of very large black or brown bears with short fore…claws which
were fully as heavy as； or perhaps heavier than； some small but full…
grown grislies with long fore…claws。 These very large bears with short
claws are very reluctant to climb a tree； and are almost as clumsy
about it as is a young grisly。 Among the grislies the fur varies much
in color and texture even among bears of the same locality； it is of
course richest in the deep forest； while the bears of the dry plains
and mountains are of a lighter； more washed…out hue。
A full grown grisly will usually weigh from five to seven hundred
pounds； but exceptional individuals undoubtedly reach more than twelve
hundredweight。 The California bears are said to be much the largest。
This I think is so； but I cannot say it with certaintyat any rate I
have examined several skins of full…grown California bears which were
no larger than many I have seen from the northern Rockies。 The Alaskan
bears； particularly those of the peninsula； are even bigger beasts；
the skin of one which I saw in the possession of Mr。 Webster； the
taxidermist； was a good deal larger than the average polar bear skin；
and the animal when alive； if in good condition； could hardly have
weighed less than 1；400 pounds。＇*＇ Bears vary wonderfully in weight；
even to the extent of becoming half as heavy again； according as they
are fat or lean； in this respect they are more like hogs than like any
other animals。
＇*＇ Both this huge Alaskan bear and the entirely distinct bear of the
barren grounds differ widely from the true grisly； at least in
their extreme forms。
The grisly is now chiefly a beast of the high hills and heavy timber；
but this is merely because he has learned that he must rely on cover
to guard him from man； and has forsaken the open ground accordingly。
In old days； and in one or two very out…of…the…way places almost to
the present time； he wandered at will over the plains。 It is only the
wariness born of fear which nowadays causes him to cling to the thick
brush of the large river…bottoms throughout the plains country。 When
there were no rifle…bearing hunters in the land； to harass him and
make him afraid； he roved thither and thither at will； in burly self…
confidence。 Then he cared little for cover； unless as a weather…break；
or because it happened to contain food he liked。 If the humor seized
him he would roam for days over the rolling or broken prairie；
searching for roots； digging up gophers； or perhaps following the
great buffalo herds either to prey on some unwary straggler which he
was able to catch at a disadvantage in a washout； or else to feast on
the carcasses of those which died by accident。 Old hunters； survivors
of the long…vanished ages when the vast herds thronged the high plains
and were followed by the wild red tribes； and by bands of whites who
were scarcely less savage； have told me that they often met bears
under such circumstances； and these bears were accustomed to sleep in
a patch of rank sage bush； in the niche of a washout； or under the lee
of a boulder； seeking their food abroad even in full daylight。 The
bears of the Upper Missouri basinwhich were so light in color that
the early explorers often alluded to them as gray or even as 〃white〃
were particularly given to this life in the open。 To this day that
close kinsman of the grisly known as the bear of the barren grounds
continues to lead this same kind of life； in the far north。 My friend
Mr。 Rockhill； of Maryland； who was the first white man to explore
eastern Tibet； describes the large； grisly…like bear of those desolate
uplands as having similar habits。
However； the grisly is a shrewd beast and shows the usual bear…like
capacity for adapting himself to changed conditions。 He has in most
places become a cover…haunting animal； sly in his ways； wary to a
degree and clinging to the shelter of the deepest forests in the
mountains and of the most tangled thickets in the plains。 Hence he has
held his own far better than such game as the bison and elk。 He is
much less common than formerly； but he is still to be found throughout
most of his former range； save of course in the immediate neighborhood
of the large towns。
In most places the grisly hibernates； or as old hunters say 〃holes
up；〃 during the cold season； precisely as does the black bear； but as
with the latter species； those animals which live farthest south spend
the whole year abroad in mild seasons。 The grisly rarely chooses that
favorite den of his little black brother； a hollow tree or log； for
his winter sleep； seeking or making some cavernous hole in the ground
instead。 The hole is sometimes in a slight hillock in a river bottom
but more often on a hill…side； and may be either shallow or deep。 In
the mountains it is generally a natural cave in the rock； but among
the foothills and on the plains the bear usually has to take some
hollow or opening； and then fashion it into a burrow to his liking
with his big digging claws。
Before the cold weather sets in the bear begins to grow restless； and
to roam about seeking for a good place in which to hole up。 One will
often try and abandon several caves or partially dug…out burrows in
succession before finding a place to its taste。 It always endeavors to
choose a spot where there is little chance of discovery or
molestation； taking great care to avoid leaving too evident trace of
its work。 Hence it is not often that the dens are found。
Once in its den the bear passes the cold months in lethargic sleep；
yet； in all but the coldest weather； and sometimes even then； its
slumber is but light； and if disturbed it will promptly leave its den；
prepared for fight or flight as the occasion may require。 Many times
when a hunter has stumbled on the winter resting…place of a bear and
has left it； as he thought； without his presence being discovered； he
has returned only to find that the crafty old fellow was aware of the
danger all the time； and sneaked off as soon as the coast was clear。
But in very cold weather hibernating bears can hardly be wakened from
their torpid lethargy。
The length of time a bear stays in its den depends of course upon the
severity of the season and the latitude and altitude of the country。
In the northernmost and coldest regions all the bears hole up； and
spend half the year in a state of lethargy； whereas in the south only
the she's with young and the fat he…bears retire for the sleep； and
these but for a few weeks； and only if the season is severe。
When the bear first leaves its den the fur is in very fine order； but
it speedily becomes thin and poor； and does not recover its condition
until the fall。 Sometimes the bear does not betray any great hunger
for a few days after its appearance； but in a short while it becomes
ravenous。 During the early spring； when the woods are still entirely
barren and lifeless； while the snow yet lies in deep drifts； the bear；
hungry brute； both maddened and weakened by long fasting； is more of a
flesh eater than at any other time。 It is at this period that it is
most apt to turn true beast of prey； and show its prowess either at
the expense of the wild game； or of the flocks of the settler and the
herds of the ranchman。 Bears are very capricious in this respect；
however。 Some are confirmed game； and cattle…killers； others are not；
while yet others either are or are not accordingly as the freak seizes
them； and their ravages vary almost unaccountably； both with the
season and the locality。
Throughout 1889； for instance； no cattle； so far as I heard； were
killed by bears anywhere near my range on the Little Missouri in
western Dakota； yet I happened to know that during that same season
the ravages of the bears among the herds of the cowmen in the Big Hole
Basin； in western Montana； were very destructive。
In the spring and early summer of 1888； the bears killed no cattle
near my ranch； but in the late summer and early fall of that year a
big bear； which we well knew by its tracks； suddenly took to cattle…
killing。 This was a brute which had its headquarters on some very
large brush bottoms a dozen miles below my ranch house； and which
ranged to and fro across the broken country flanking the river on each
side。 It began just before berry time； but continued its career of
destruction long after the wild plums and even buffalo berries had
ripened。 I think that what started it was a feast on a cow which had
mired and died in the bed of the creek； at least it was not until
after we found that it had been feeding at the carcass and had eaten
every scrap； that we discovered traces of its ravages among the
livestock。 It seemed to attack the animals wholly regardless of their
size and strength； its victims including a large bull and a beef
steer； as well as cows； yearlin