324 THE BRUANG. 



THE THIBETIAN SUN-BEAK is an example of a group of Bears which have received the 

 title of Sun-Bears, from their habit of basking in the rays of the burning sun, instead of with- 

 drawing to their dens, as is the custom with the generality of Bears, as long as the sun pours 

 its meridian beams on the earth. The name Helarctos, by which the genus is designated, is 

 composed of two Greek words, the former signifying the sun, and the latter a Bear. 



The country in which the Thibetian Bear resides is manifest by its name. It has also been 

 discovered in the ^epaul range of mountains. The fur of this creature is tolerably thick and 

 smooth, and is generally of a black color, with the exception of the lower lip and a large patch 

 of white hairs on the breast, which is narrow at the lower part, and, widening as it approaches 

 the chin, separates into two short horns, which partially extend towards the shoulders. The 

 entire spot bears, therefore, some resemblance to the letter Y rather imperfectly delineated, and 

 with its upright stem rather shortened. 



The body of the Thibetian Bear is heavily, but strongly made, and the limbs seem to be 

 rather less agile than those of the American or Scandinavian Bears. The claws are not so 

 powerful as those of the generality of Bears, the ears are comparatively large, and the neck is 

 peculiarly thick. It seems chiefly to rely for its subsistence on fruit, roots, and various vege- 

 table productions. It is not quite so large as the Bears which have already been mentioned. 



A VEEY curious example of the Sun-Bears is found in the species which is known by the 

 name of the BRUANG, or MALAYAN SUN-BEAR, and has been rendered famous by the spirited 

 description of its appearance and habits which has been given by Sir Stamford Baffles. 



The fur of this animal is particularly fine and glossy, and the hair is shorter than in the 

 generality of the Bear tribe. The color of its fur is a very deep black, with the exception of a 

 large semi-lunar shaped patch of white on the breast, and a yellowish-white patch on the snout 

 and upper jaw, which afford a striking and curious contrast to the uniformly black color of the 

 fur. The lips and tongue of this Bear are extremely flexible, and are capable of being pro- 

 longed to- an almost incredible extent. It is supposed that the great 'length of its tongue, and 

 the exceedingly flexible power of that organ, are intended for the purpose of enabling the 

 animal to obtain the honey from the nest of the wild bee, by insinuating its lithe tongue into 

 the apertures of the hive, and licking the sweet food from the waxen treasuries. 



The head of the Bruang is rather thick, and the neck is singularly powerful in comparison 

 with the size of the head. The eyes are very small, and the iris is of a rather pale lilac color, 

 and tolerably lively in its appearance. It is not a large animal, measuring when adult only 

 four feet six inches in length, but it is extremely powerful in proportion to its size, being able 

 to grasp and tear from the ground the strongly-rooted plantains of Borneo, which are so large 

 that the Bear is hardly able to embrace them in its grasp. The claws of the Bruang are 

 extremely long. 



When in its wild state, it is almost entirely a vegetable eater, preferring fruit before most 

 articles of diet, and making gi-eat havoc among the tender shoots of the cocoa-nut trees. In 

 some parts of Sumatra, where the villages have been deserted, the cocoa-nut groves have been 

 entirely destroyed by the insatiate appetite of the Bruang. 



As it is easily tamed, it is frequently seen in a state of domestication, and is a very amus- 

 ing and gentle creature, associating freely with children, and earning by its uniformly quiet 

 conduct the privilege of unrestricted liberty. Sir Stamford Raffles, who possessed one of 

 these Bears, permitted it to live in the nursery, and never was obliged to chain, chastise, or 

 otherwise punish the good-tempered animal. Being something of an epicure, and often 

 admitted to his master's table, the Bruang would refuse to eat any fruit except mongosteens, 

 or to drink any wine except champagne. It may seem remarkable that a Bear should display 

 any predilection for fermented liquids, and more so that it should be so fastidious as to select 

 champagne as the wine which it honored with its preference. Such, however, was the case, 

 and the animal was so fondly attached to the champagne-bottle, that the absence of his favorite 

 liquid was the only circumstance that would make him lose his temper. His affectionate dis- 

 position led him to extend his friendship to various of his acquaintances, and he was on such 

 excellent terms with the entire household, that he would meet on equal footing the cat, the 



