Game Animals of India, etc. 



in its relative width and shortness, but the teeth are 

 still typically ursine. Both kinds of panda have six 

 pairs of lower cheek-teeth, of which in the Himalayan 

 species four are premolars and two molars, whereas in 

 the short-tailed panda there are three pairs of premolars 

 and three molars. In possessing three lower molars 

 the latter differs from other members of the raccoon 

 family and resembles bears ; but this extra pair of teeth 

 may perhaps be regarded merely as an indication of 

 closer affinity with the common ancestor of raccoons 

 and bears than is possessed by other members of the 

 Procyonidce. 



Although its feet are bear-like, the short-tailed panda 

 is perhaps less completely plantigrade than bears. In 

 size it may be compared to a small Kashmir bear. The 

 fur is long and thick, and the general colour creamy 

 white, with the ears, rings round the eyes, the shoulders, 

 and the limbs jetty black. 



The width of the skull implies great jaw-power, and 

 the structure of the cheek-teeth indicates that the 

 creature feeds on vegetable rather than animal diet ; 

 this inference being confirmed by such meagre reports 

 as we possess of its habits. As it is stated to be a 

 vegetarian, subsisting chiefly on roots and the young 

 shoots of bamboos, it is evidently an inhabitant of forest 

 districts, and not of open plateau. In winter its peculiar 

 type of colouring would not improbably render it incon- 

 spicuous when walking in snow among tree-stems ; but 

 in summer it would apparently be just as conspicuous, 

 and it has been suggested that its colouring, like that 

 of skunks, is of what is known as the warning type. 



Further information is, however, required with 

 regard to these points, as well as with respect to the 

 limits of the geographical range of this most remark- 

 able animal. 



370 



