6:8 . THE CARNIVORES 



and by its aid it is enabled to detect concealed supplies of honey, and also to scent 

 out ants' nests when situated far below the ground. 



The number of cubs produced at a birth is, as by most bears, usually two, but it 

 appears that there may sometimes be three. The young cubs are generally carried 

 on the back of the female when the animals are on the move ; and the author last 

 mentioned observes that it is an amusing sight to watch the cubs dismount at the feed- 

 ing grounds, and scramble back to their seat at the first alarm. We are informed by 

 Mr. Sanderson that the cubs are carried about in this manner till they are several 

 months old and have attained the dimensions of a sheep-dog, and that when there is 

 room for only one cub on the maternal back the other has perforce to walk by the side. 



In regard to their family life, Mr. Sanderson observes that these ' ' bears are ex- 

 ceedingly affectionate animals among themselves, and are capable of being most 

 thoroughly tamed when taken young. Either wild or tame they are very amusing 

 in their ways, being exceedingly demonstrative and ridiculous. Though hard to 

 kill, they are very soft as to their feelings, and make the most hideous outcries 

 when shot at not only the wounded animal, but also its companions. It has fre- 

 quently been stated by sportsmen that if a bear be wounded he immediately attacks 

 his companions, thinking that they have caused his injuries. But I think this is not 

 quite correct, at least in the majority of cases. I have observed that a wounded bear's 

 companions generally rush to him to ascertain the cause of his grief, joining the while 

 in his cries, when he, not being in the best of humors, lays hold of them, and a fight 

 ensues, really brought about by the affectionate but ill-timed solicitude of his friends. ' ' 



In commenting upon the latter portion of this passage, Mr. Blanford supports 

 the old view that the attack is made directly by the wounded animal ; and one in- 

 stance is mentioned where he saw a female when wounded immediately commence 

 an unprovoked attack upon her two half-grown cubs, which were severely cuffed. 

 In another case, when two full-grown bears were both hit, they stood up and fought 

 on their hind-legs, till one fell dead from the effects of the bullet. 



Although generally timid in their nature, sloth-bears will on rare occasions at- 

 tack human beings without provocation, and when they do so, fighting both with 

 teeth and talons, and inflicting terrible wounds, more especially on the head and 

 face. These attacks generally occur when a bear is accidently stumbled upon by a 

 native wandering in the jungle, and are then due more to timidity than to ferocity. 

 Mr. Sanderson is of opinion that a bear, being a slow-witted animal, is more likely 

 to attack in such a case than is a tiger or a leopard, which more rapidly collect their 

 senses, and are thus less embarrassed by the sudden and unexpected encounter. Mr. 

 Blanford states that when thus surprised a sloth-bear will sometimes merely knock 

 a man over with its paws, although thereby inflicting severe wounds ; but on other 

 occasions it seizes and holds in its paws its unfortunate victim, who is not released 

 until bitten and clawed to death. Females with young, and occasionally solitary 

 bears, will at times make unprovoked attacks of great ferocity. The idea that sloth- 

 bears hug their victims is scouted by both writers. 



Sloth-bears are usually hunted in India either by driving them from cover with 

 a line of beaters, or by the sportsman going to their caves or lairs among the rocks 

 at daybreak, and shooting them as they return home from their nightly wanderings. 



