FUR BEARING MAMMALS. 47 



The next rug producing animal is the wolf, which is represented 

 in China by the subspecies Canis lupus tschiliensis. This is a large 

 gaunt creature, which does not pack like the Russian wolf, preferring 

 to range the country alone, or in company with its mate. In size it 

 about equals a mastiff or deer-hound. Though a powerful and cunning 

 animal, it is inclined to be cowardly, and secures its food, especially 

 in thickly populated areas, by snatching off sheep, small pigs, dogs 

 and even children straying on the outskirts of the villages. When 

 pressed by hunger, it will attack a grown man, even if the latter be 

 armed. In some districts wolves are a great pest, and there are very 

 few places entirely free from them. The skin of the North China wolf 

 is not very good, being worth not more than $5.00 or $6.00. The 

 skins from Mongolia, which have much thicker fur, and are considerably 

 lighter in colour, are worth at least double that sum. All kinds of 

 practices are resorted to in the hunting of wolves. Poison, guns and 

 trap-guns are all used, while many hunters, who know the habits of 

 their quarry, lie in ambush and shoot them along their chosen paths. 



Perhaps of all rugs none look so well as those made from the 

 skin of a bear, with the head nicely mounted and claws outspread 

 complete. Unfortunately North China cannot lay claim to being a 

 bear country, thought there are three or four species recorded from 

 adjacent districts, some of which may wander into or even take up 

 their residence hi Chinese territory. On the Thibetan frontier there 

 are at least three species to be met with. One of these is the com- 

 mon brown bear (Ursus. arctos), which ranges from Spain to Kams- 

 chatka. Bears of this species attain a great size, even rivalling the 

 grizzly or the polar bear. Another common species in this region is 

 the Himalayan black bear (Ursus torquatus), a much smaller animal. 

 As the name suggests this species is black but it has a conspicuous 

 white crescent on its chest. The third species is the parti-coloured 

 bear (Aeluropus melanoleucus) sometimes known as the great, panda. 

 This queer looking animal, though a bear in appearance, differs from 

 the members of the genus Ursus in many ways. Its skull is remark- 

 able for a very high ridge running longitudinally along the upper sur 

 face of the cranium. There are also marked dental differences, and 

 the width of the skull is proportionately much greater than in the true 

 bears. The colouring of the panda is also very remarkable. The body 

 and head are white, the legs and belly black, while a black band ex- 

 tends from the front legs over the shoulders. The ears are black and 

 there is a large black patch round each eye. These animals are very 

 rare in collections, and are not at all easy to secure. Practically no- 

 thing is known of their habits. 



