Sometimes, probably when he smelt the mice underneath, he would
cautiously turn the log over with one paw, holding the other lifted and
ready to strike. Now and then he would halt and sniff the air in every
direction, and it was after one of these halts that he suddenly shuffled
off into the woods.
Black bears generally feed on berries, nuts, insects, carrion, and the
like; but at times they take to killing very large animals. In fact,
they are curiously irregular in their food. They will kill deer if they
can get at them; but generally the deer are too quick. Sheep and hogs
are their favorite prey, especially the latter, for bears seem to have
a special relish for pork. Twice I have known a black bear kill cattle.
Once the victim was a bull which had got mired, and which the bear
deliberately proceeded to eat alive, heedless of the bellows of the
unfortunate beast. On the other occasion, a cow was surprised and slain
among some bushes at the edge of a remote pasture. In the spring, soon
after the long winter sleep, they are very hungry, and are especially
apt to attack large beasts at this time; although during the very first
days of their appearance, when they are just breaking their fast, they
eat rather sparingly, and by preference the tender shoots of green grass
and other herbs, or frogs and crayfish; it is not for a week or two that
they seem to be overcome by lean, ravenous hunger.
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