218 JOVENAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol, XII. 



of a bamboo, the trunk was too thick for a man's arms to reach round. The 

 other two nests were about 80 feet from the ground. One nest which T had 

 brought down measured on the outside, including the straggling sticks that 

 protruded, 52 inches ; but the nest proper was 211" x 24" and 20" deep at the 

 part that was in the fork, but only 9 inches, at the opposite side. The egg 

 cavity measured 14" x 13" and 13" deep without the lining, which was wholly 

 composed of green Simul leaves to a depth of 6 inches. In one nest were three 

 fresh eggs, measuring 2-49 x 1"84, 2*45 x 1'9, and 2"35 x 1-8 respectively. 

 Though the birds were sitting on both nests, only one nest contained eggs. 

 Dakbhanga, Tirhoot, July, 1898. C. M. INGLIS. 



No. XI.—" DOES THE BEOWN BEAR HYBEENATE ? " 



With reference to Major Eodon's above query on page 547 of the last 

 volume of this journal, I beg to state, that I too, in common with the 

 natives of this district, believe that the Brown Bear {Ursu? arctus) does 

 hybernate, and my reasons, which may be taken for what they are worth, 

 are the following : — After the sheep have left their summer resorts at 

 altitudes varying from 10,000 to 13,000 feet, it is not by any means uncommon 

 to see " Bhrubboo," as the hillmen call him, feeding oia the grassy plains 

 in the mornings and afternoons, and as for his tracks, one comes on them at 

 every turn. Last October I was out after Bears, and in one place found the 

 entire hill-side rooted up in much the same way as if a sounder of pigs had 

 been over it, and, as my shikari sagely remarked, " there is little use of a 

 plough and bullocks here when Brown Bears do all that is necessary," These 

 signs of " Bhrubboo's " presence however are only to be met with till the 

 first week in December, or in the case of a mild winter up to about the 20th 

 of December, If they do not hybernate, surely one would come upon fresh 

 tracks after that date also, 



I have spent several winters in the Himalayas, and only last year was up at 

 an elevation of 12,000 feet odd on the 10th of December, and was eventually 

 driven down by a heavy fall of snow. I came upon several fresh tracks 

 during the latter part of November ; but they got scarcer during the first 

 week in December, and after the first fall of snow, which we had, I think, on 

 the 6th of that month, I never saw another sign of " Bhrubboo." I agree 

 with Major Eodon that the villagers have not much opportunity of judging 

 as they come down to lower altitudes ; but many a hardy shikari takes a 

 periodical trip up during the winter after bhurrel and snow leopard, and 

 they never seem to come across the Brown Bear, From the above facts I am 

 led to believe that the Brown Bear does hybernate ; but it is certainly very 

 strange " why the young in captivity should show no sign of the instinct," 

 as Major Rodon remarks. 



C. E. DONALD. 

 Bhadarwa, Kashmir State, Juli/, 1898, 



