e sea. He may be almost said to
dwell upon it: since out of the twelve months in the year, ten of them
at least are passed by him upon the fields of ice. During the short
summer of the Arctic regions, he makes a trip inland--rarely extending
it above fifty miles, and never over a hundred--guided in his excursions
by the courses of rivers that fall into the sea. His purpose in making
these inland expeditions, is to pick up the freshwater fish; which he
finds it convenient to catch in the numerous falls or shallows of the
streams. He also varies his fish diet at this season, by making an
occasional meal on such roots and berries as he may find growing along
the banks. At other times of the year, when all inland water is frozen
up, and even the sea to a great distance from land, he then keeps along
the extreme edge of the frozen surface, and finds his food in the open
water of the sea. Sea-fish of different species, seals, the young
walrus, and even at times the young of the great whale itself, become
his prevail of which he hunts and captures with a skill and cunning,
that appears more the result of a reasoning process than a mere
instinct.

His natatory powers appear to have no limit: at all events, he has been
met with swimming about in open water full twenty miles from either ice
or land. He has been often seen much further from shore, drifting upon
masses of ice; but it is doubtful whether he cared much for the footing
thus afforded him. It is quite possible he can swim as long as it
pleases him, or until his strength may become exhausted by hunger.
While going through the water, it does not appear necessary for him to
make the slightest effort; and he can even spring up above the surface,
and bound forward after the manner of porpoises or other _cetaceae_.

If any quadruped has ever reached the pole, it is the polar bear; and it
is quite probable that his range extends to this remarkable point on the
earth's surface. Most certainly it may, if we suppose that there is
open water around the pole--a supposition that, by analogical reasoning,
may be proved to be correct. The daring Parry found white bears at 82
degrees; and there is no reason why they should not traverse the
intervening zone of 500 odd miles, almost as easily as the fowls of the
air or the fish of the sea. No doubt there are polar bears around the
pole; though it may be assumed for certain that none of them ever
attempts to "swarm" up it, as