the white bear is not the best climber of
his kind. The female of the polar bear is not so much addicted to a
maritime life as her liege lord. The former, unless when barren, keeps
upon the land; and it is upon the land that she brings forth her young.
When pregnant, she wanders off to some distance from the shore; and
choosing her bed, she lies down, goes to sleep, and there remains until
spring. She does not, like other hybernating bears, seek out a cave or
hollow tree; for in the desolate land she inhabits, ofttimes neither one
nor the other could be found. She merely waits for the setting-in of a
great snow-storm--which her instinct warns her of--and then, stretching
herself under the lee of a rock--or other inequality, where the snow
will be likely to form a deep drift--she remains motionless till it has
"smoored" her quite up, often covering her body to the depth of several
feet. There she remains throughout the winter, completely motionless,
and apparently in a state of torpor. The heat of her body thawing the
snow that comes immediately in contact with it, together with some
warmth from her limited breathing, in time enlarges the space around
her, so that she reclines inside a sort of icy shell. It is fortunate
that circumstances provide her with this extra room: since in due course
of time she will stand in need of it for the company she expects.

And in process of time it is called into use. When the spring sun
begins to melt the snow outside, the bear becomes a mother, and a brace
of little white cubs make their appearance, each about as big as a
rabbit.

The mother does not immediately lead them forth from their snowy
chamber; but continues to suckle them there until they are of the size
of Arctic foxes, and ready to take the road. Then she makes an effort,
breaks through the icy crust that forms the dome of her dwelling, and
commences her journey towards the sea.

There are times when the snow around her has become so firmly caked,
that, with her strength exhausted by the suckling of her cubs, the bear
is unable to break through it. In a case of this kind, she is compelled
to remain in an involuntary durance--until the sun gradually melts the
ice around her and sets her free. Then she issues from her prolonged
imprisonment, only the shadow of her former self, and scarce able to
keep her feet.

The Northern Indians and Eskimos capture hundreds of these hybernating
bears every season--taking bo