ASWAIL, OR SLOTH BEAR.—Melursus Lybius. 
that it eannot be baffled by loftiness of trunk or smoothness of bark ; and when the 
creature has attained the summit of the tree it frequently destroys the life of the tree by 
devouring the topmost shoot for the sake of its delicate succulence. The cocoa-nuts 
themselves are objects of interest to the Bornean Bruang, who is extremely fond of the 
peculiarly-flavoured liquid that is found in the interior of the nut; and when he has 
reached a cluster of ripe nuts will tear them from the tree and fling them on the ground, 
In captivity it is gentle, playful, and amusing, and possesses very curious and almost 
ludicrous habits, which render it an object of interest to its visitors. Profoundly sensible of 
human sympathies, and almost as fond of notice as a cat, the Bornean Bruang will accept 
with evident delight the caresses of its visitors, and is pleased to be patted or stroked by 
kindly hands, provided that it does not happen to be in a bad humour at the time. 
Should the animal consider itself to be insulted—a matter of rather frequent occurrence 
—it will contumeliously reject all advances, and will not consent to receive any mark of 
attention until the offender is fairly out of sight. 
UNWIELDY in its movements, and grotesque in its form, the ASWAIL, or SLOTH BEAR 
is one of the most curious members of this group of animals. It is found in the 
mountainous parts of India, and is equally dreaded and admired by the natives of the 
same country. 
Although a sufficiently harmless creature if permitted to roam unmolested among its 
congenial scenery of mountain and precipice, it is at the same time an extremely 
dangerous foe if its slumbering passions are aroused by wounds or bodily pain of any 
kind. It needs, howeyer, that the wound be tolerably severe to induce the animal to turn 
