Game Animals of India, etc. 



Sir Samuel Baker, who regarded it as one of the 

 most vicious animals with which he was acquainted, 

 records two occasions where a sloth-bear has attacked 

 an elephant, one of these instances being altogether 

 unprovoked. 



MARMOTS 



(^Arctomys caudatus^ etc.) 

 Native Name. — Drun, Kashmiri 



The traveller who for the first time crosses the 

 range forming the north-eastern barrier of Kashmir — 

 whether his route takes him into Maru-Wardwan via 

 the Margan Pass, to Dras by the Zogi-la, or to Tilel 

 and so on to Astor by the Bandipur and Tragbal road 

 — will be startled as he nears the summit by loud 

 whistling screams proceeding simultaneously from 

 several points around. On looking about to discover 

 the source of these cries, he will observe a number of 

 little red and black animals standing up on their hind- 

 quarters, and looking inquisitively round to ascertain 

 the business of the intruder on their domain. On 

 approaching one of these marmots the traveller will 

 find that when within a certain distance, the little 

 creatures will disappear suddenly, with a parting scream, 

 into the recesses of its burrow, on the entrance-mound 

 of which it had been sitting, to venture forth once 

 again when the danger appears to be over. 



Marmots are burrowing members of the squirrel 

 family, recognisable by their comparatively large size, 

 small ears, and moderately long bushy tails. The red 

 marmot [Arclomys caudatus)., the species now under 

 discussion, may be compared in size to a cat, and is one 

 of the largest and most brilliantly coloured of the 

 Himalayan and Tibetan members of the group. It is 

 characterised, among other features, by the length of 

 its tail, which approximately equals half that of the 



