THE POLAR BEAR. 69 



so slight. The Zoological Gardens at present contain the 

 largest and perhaps the smallest species of Bear ; viz. the 

 Grisly Bear, and the Malayan Bear ; in this menagerie 

 may also be seen and compared together the species 1, 5, 

 12, 13, 14, and 15, of the above catalogue ; besides a brown 

 or chestnut variety of the Ursus americanus, called the Cin- 

 namon Bear. In all these species it may be observed that 

 the body is heavy and ungainly, the limbs short and strong, 

 each terminated by five toes, and armed with long curved 

 unretractile claws ; their ears are short, and hairy both within 

 and without ; their body is in most of the species covered with 

 long shaggy hair, by which the tail is almost concealed. The 

 habits of the different species differ almost as little as their 

 forms, and were consequently nearly as well known 2500 years 

 ago, when studied in the common European species, as at 

 the present day. 



Thus Aristotle observes, " But the bear is omnivorous ; for 

 it eats the fruits of trees, which, through the pliability of its 

 body, it climbs. It also eats leguminous fruits. Destroy- 

 ing likewise the hives of bees, it eats their honey, and feeds 

 on crabs and ants, and is carnivorous ; for on account of its 

 strength this animal not only attacks stags, but also wild- 

 boars, if it can invade them latently. It likewise attacks 

 bulls : for attacking the bull in front, he falls on his back, and 

 while the bull endeavours to strike him (as he lies in this su- 

 pine position), the bear throws his arms round the horns of 

 the bull, bites his shoulder, and lays him prostrate. For a 

 short time, likewise, the bear walks erect on two feet, and eats 

 every kind of flesh, previously masticating it." — Book viii. 

 chap. 5 : and again in chap. 17? — "Among viviparous qua- 

 drupeds, also, porcupines and bears hide themselves. That 

 savage bears, therefore, hide themselves is evident ; but it 

 is dubious whether it is from cold, or some other cause : 

 for both the males and females become about this time 

 very fat, so as to be unwieldly. The female also brings forth 

 at this season, and conceals herself till the period arrives of 

 leading forth the young bears from her retreat : but she 

 does this in the spring, and in the third month after the 

 winter solstice. The bear likewise is concealed for about 

 forty days at least ; and it is said, that for fourteen of these 

 days it does not move at all, but in most of the days after 

 these it is concealed indeed, yet is in a vigilant state, and 

 in motion. A pregnant bear, however, has either never 

 been caught by any one or by very few. It is evident, also, 

 that the bear during the time of its concealment does not eat 

 anything ; for it does not come forth from its retreat ; but 



