THE BRAR. 438

they were sheep. The sudden appearance of a person in an
unwonted dress alarms them, and makes them take flight ;
but it is said that the most efficient bugbear is an umbrella,
the expanding of which makes them roar and run with
all their might ; an umbrella is, indeed, an object of more
dread to most wild animals than the most efficient weapon
that man can brandish. A fierce bullock is more certainly
turned by flashing an umbrella open in his face, than by _
any other means; and there are recorded instances of the
tiger being put to flight in the same way.”*

The abundance of these bears in the mountains of Swit-
zerland in former times, gave the name of Berne to one of
the Swiss cantons, and at that place bear-pits are still kept
up in honour of the name; the inmates being fed on vege-
tables and bread; all unripe fruit brought to the market
is also confiscated for their use.

The intense affection shown by the female bear for its
young, is illustrated by many interesting anecdotes in
voyages and travels. In Lord Mulgrave’s narrative of a
voyage for the discovery of the North-west Passage, is a very
interesting account of a bear, whose young had been killed
v8 a shot from the ship. Though wounded herself, she

® British Cyclopedia: art. Bran.