72 URSID.E. 



Ursus malayanvs is a veiy closely allied species of bear, inhabiting 

 Burmah, Arrakan, the Malayan peninsula, and some of the islands ; whilst 

 U. eurysjnlns of Borneo, is looked on as only a variety of Malayamis. 



The next species differs a good deal in its type and has been named 

 Melursus by Meyer, Prochilus by Illiger. The claws are very large and 

 powerful, the snout very much elongated and mobile, and there are only 

 4 incisors in the upper jaw. 



91. Ursus labiatus. 



Blainville. — Blyth, Cat. 227. — Elliot, Cat. 14. — Bradypus urshms, 

 Shaw. — Figd. F. Cuvier, Mamm. III. 57. — Melursus lyhicus, Meyer. — 

 Bhalu, H. Rich or liinch, H. in south of India. — Biksha, Sanscr. — Asivail, 

 Mahr. — Blugu, Tel. — Kaddior Karadi, Can. — Yerid, of Gonds. — Banna, 

 of the Coles. — Sloth bear of some. 



The Indian Black Bear. 



Bescr. — Black, hair very long and shaggy ; muzzle and tip of feet dirty 

 white or yellowish ; a white crescentic, or V shaped mark on the breast. 



Length about 5|- feet ; height nearly 3 feet ; tail about 7 or 8 inches. 



This bear is found throughout India and Ceylon, from Cape Comorin 

 to the Ganges, chiefly in the hilly and jungly districts. There never appear 

 to be more than 4 incisors in the vipper jaw. Bears are very abundant in 

 some jmrts of the peninsula, where forest and jungle occur and the hills 

 are rugged and rocky, and especially, as is the case in the Northern Cir- 

 cars, from Goomsoor southwards, and in various parts of Central India 

 likewise, there are many hills formed of huge decomposed masses of granite 

 simulating boulders (and indeed popularly called so), which have number- 

 less natural caverns and recesses that suit these animals so well. Theyascend 

 the top of the Neelgherries and other high ranges of mountains in spring 

 to feed, especially on the large larvte of a huge longicorn beetle, that issues 

 from the ground in great numbers later on; and which larvie the bear sucks 

 out of the ground, having first found the spot and scraped away some of 

 the top earth. Bears are at times dangerous when met in the woods, and 

 in the Vindhian i-ange of mountains, near Mhow, where they are very 

 abundant, woodcutters are very often attacked by them without any pro- 

 vocation, and sadly mauled or killed. Tickell mentions the same occurrence 

 in other jjarts of India, but attributes it to the bears having their cubs 

 with them at the time. Mr. W. Elliot, in his Catalogue, says, " Their food 



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