210 



THE BEARS. 



degree by its gymnastic tricks and by the 

 beseeching, humble, and pitiful attitudes it 

 assumes in begging for a bit of bread. 



Among the southern bears with a light- 

 coloured neck-fillet and black fur we mention 

 the Malayan or Coco-nut Palm Bear, the 



Bruan of the natives (Ursus matayanus], fig. 

 1 06, of which a sub-genus has been formed 

 by some under the name of Heliarctos. 



It is a very small ugly animal, with a thick 

 head, lank body, pretty long legs, enormous 

 paws and very long strong claws, and with 



Fig. 107. The Indian Hlack Bear or Sloth-bear (Ursus labiatus). 



only three premolars and two molars in each 

 jaw. It may attain the length of about 4^ 

 feet. Its short smooth fur is of a brilliant 

 black except for the whitish -yellow neck- 

 fillet. 



This inhabitant of the Sunda Islands, 

 Nepal, and Cochin-China is perhaps the most 

 expert climber among all the large bears. 

 It lives exclusively on vegetable food, and 

 renders itself detested by the natives through 

 the ravages which it commits in the planta- 

 tions. Coco-nuts, which it opens very 

 cleverly, appear to be its favourite dainty. 

 Wonderful tales are told of the dexterity 

 with which this bear climbs the smooth 

 stems of the coco-nut palms. His tongue is 



excessively long, and he uses it like a noose 

 to pluck the bananas that he cannot other- 

 wise reach. Of a harmless disposition, he 

 can easily be tamed when caught very young 

 and kept in the warm moist climate of his 

 native land. The specimens which have 

 been kept in confinement in Europe have 

 been obstinate, dirty, and even ill-natured, 

 and have endeavoured to get free, or at 

 least sought to pass the time, by gnawing 

 at the wood of their cage. 



The Common Indian Black Bear or Sloth- 

 bear (Ursus labiatns], fig. 107, which has 

 been taken as the type of a separate sub- 

 genus (Prochilus), 1 is one of the most peculiar 



1 II is the Melursiis ui sinus of Shaw. TK. 



