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and vicious nature render them a most formidable enemy. Many of them are still to be found in the Coast Range within a few hours travel of San Francisco, and generally throughout the timber portion of the State. Their chief diet is berries and herbs.

The black bear, a smaller animal, inhabits the Sierras and the northern part of Oregon. There are also the cinnamon bear and brown bear in the mountains, but none of these are so destructive or vicious as the black bear of Canada and the other British provinces; indeed, none of them will attack man unless pressed to the combat. But the grizzly is combative and destructive, if wounded or brought to bay by his pursuers. The weight of the grizzly is from eight hundred to sixteen hundred pounds; and some, more than seven feet in length and over two thousand pounds in weight, have been killed in the State: these are giants in strength. and appearance, far surpassing the lion and tiger.

It was between these monsters and the fierce Spanish bull that the desperate struggles formerly took place, when a dollar a head was willingly paid to see the bull and bear fight in California. These savage sports are rare now but to the lover of brute force they will always form a spectacle of deep interest. The puny efforts of cocks, dogs, and men are tame and insipid compared with the fierce struggle of the bull-pit as seen. in California. The pit was circular, formed upon the ground by many posts planted in the earth from eight to ten feet in height, with seats around like the amphitheatres of the Romans. In this pit the grizzly was placed: the bull, after having his nose scarred so that the blood would trickle into his mouth and nostrils, by tasting and smelling which he would become desperate

and roar furiously, was ushered into the presence of his mortal enemy. The sight and smell of each was the signal for the other to prepare for battle: the grizzly, with measured step and yawning jaws, coursing the circuit of the pit, would await the assault of his nimble assailant; the bull, with spine as straight as an arrow, horns like lances, and an eye of blood, would nervously survey his antagonist, bellowing deep moans from his bloody lips, and with a leap, such as a Spanish bull only can make, quick as a flash, fierce and terrible, plunge his straight sharp horns into the shaggy coat of the grizzly, from which they would bound as if bruin were a solid ball of rubber. After a few thrusts and passes from the bull, and a few scratches or heavy blows from the paws of the bear, the mountain and valley monarchs with the fury of desperation bound at and grapple with each other; bruin, dodging the fierce thrusts of the bull's horns, rolls upon his back, embraces the head and neck of his antagonist in his powerful arms, and, plying his throat and breast with his hind claws, holds the poor bull in such terrible embrace that the wildest and most desperate plunges are unable to release him from his destroyer. In this struggle the bull generally has his throat and breast torn open, or his neck broken in bruin's hug; but sometimes a fortunate thrust of the bull's horns upon bruin at an unguarded moment may, like a bayonet, pierce his side; in either case, the fight is not regarded a success unless one or both are killed, which is generally accomplished amidst a din of roaring, growling, and frothing of the expiring combatants, and the wild plaudits of the spectators, making the closing scene of these fearful combats the most herculean spectacles of animated nature

The hide of the grizzly is of little value, and his meat is so coarse that it is little sought after. Both the hides. and flesh of the other bears in California are valuable.

LION. The cougar, sometimes called the panther, or California lion, is found in most of the wooded districts of the State. It is larger than the largest dog; mottled with dark stripes, and sly, cunning, and restless; pounces upon its prey from a tree-top or hiding place, is cowardly, and seldom attacks man.

The jaguar or American tiger, also the wild cat and mountain cat, wolf, several species of foxes, and the cayote, are found in the mountains and hill-sides of the State. All the species of foxes are small, and therefore inferior to the Canadian fox. The badger, raccoon, glutton, skunk, weasel, fisher, sable, mink, land and sea otter, beaver, squirrels in great abundance and variety, seals and sea-lions, are also found either in the rivers or bays of the coast of California, and northward in the waters of the Pacific coast. No species of land or water fur-bearing animals produce such valuable fur as their species do in the more northern regions. Fine furs and good fish are found only in cold climates, if we except

the salmon of California.

Of seals there are many varieties: the small, spotted seal, the fur seal, and the sea-lion-the latter a species. inhabiting the rocky cliffs and small islands of the Pacific ocean. A species of this seal or sea-lion inhabits the clump of rocks directly south of the Golden Gate, in front of the Cliff House, affording much amusement to visitors by their howling and floundering about upon the rocks. Some of these animals are of immense size, larger than an ox. They are at this place protected

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