William Joseph Long (1866–1952) was an American writer, naturalist and minister. He lived and worked in Stamford, Connecticut as a minister of the First Congregationalist Church. As a naturalist, he went to travel to "the wilderness" of Maine. He wrote of these wilderness experiences in the books Ways of Wood Folk, Wilderness Ways, Wood-folk Comedies, Northern Trails, Wood Folk at School, and many others. His earlier books were illustrated by Charles Copeland; two later ones were illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull.
"A Little Brother to the Bear and other Animal Stories" is a excellent work by William Long. Two chapters remarkable for their keen insight into the hidden life of animals close this volume,─ one on Animal Surgery, describing some of the ways in which wild animals treat their wounds; the other on Hunting without a Gun, showing the joy of following even the large and dangerous animals with the desire only to be near and understand them.
