More  fabulous  stories  probably  exist  regarding  the  bear,
than  any  other  animal.
Bishop  Pontoppidan  informs  us^  for  instance,  that  'Hhe
female  carries  her  young  but  a  month;  and  that,  like  the
dog  kind,  which  also  hastes  for  the  birth,  she  brings  forth
two  or  three  in  number,  blind  and  naked,  and  small  as  mice,
each  in  form  like  a  mere  lump ;  which  the  mother  continually
licks,  till  it  expands  or  imfolds  itself,  according  to  the  proverb:
Lambendo  sicut  ursa  catulos.  Then  they  say  she  holds
them  in  her  paws  to  her  breast,  to  warm  them,  according
to  the  manner  of  birds,  which  01.  Magnus  has  also  observed ;
but  some  are  of  opinion  it  is  to  give  them  suck,  as  their  paps
stand  pretty  high  on  the  fore  part  of  their  body."

Even  Nilsson  tells  us,  that  if  a  man  goes  boldly  up  to  an
infuriated  bear,  the  beast,  for  the  most  part,  contents  himself
with  tearing  up,  with  his  powerful  paws,  moss,  stubbs,  blocks
of  wood,  &c.,  which  he  casts  around  him  on  every  side ;  and
moreover  affirms — by  implication  at  least — that  there  is  such
commanding  power  in  the  human  gaze,  that  if  a  man  looks
a  bear  full  in  the  face,  the  beast  becomes  cowed  and  slinks
away.  It  may  be  so ;  but  I  am  much  inclined  to  believe  that
were  the  professor  to  try  the  experiment,  he  would  soon  wish
himself  safe  at  home  !

It  is  a  common  belief  in  Lapland,  and  other  parts  of
Scandinavia,  that  the  bear  is  possessed  of  the  strength  of
twelve  men,  and  that  there  is  no  end  to  his  sagacity.
