Bear

the English name of the various species of plantigrade mammals belonging to the ursus and some neighboring genera. The term plantigrade, applied to the bears, intimates that they walk on the soles of their feet; not, like the digitigrade animals, on their toes. Though having six incisor teeth in each jaw, like the rest of the carnivora, yet the tubercular crowns of the molar teeth show that their food is partly vegetable. They grub up roots, and, when they can obtain it, greedily devour honey. They hibernate in winter. The best known species is ursus arctos, the brown bear, the one sometimes seen dancing to the amusement of children in the streets. They are wild in this country, on the continent of Europe, and in Asia. The grizzly bear, black bear and Polar bear are well known in menageries. In Stock Exchange parlance, a bear is one who contracts to sell on a specified day certain stock not belonging to him, at the market price then prevailing, on receiving imaginary payment for them at the rate which obtains when the promise was maue. It now becomes his interest that the stock on which he has 7s lated should fall in price; and he is tempted to effect this end by circulating adverse rumors regarding it; while the purchaser, called a “ bull,” sees it to his advantage to make it rise, ‘The origin of the term is uncertain. - In astronomy, the word is applied to one or other of two constellations, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, called respectively the Great Bear and _ the Little Bear. When the word Bear stands alone, it signifies Ursa Major.