URSUS LABIATUS. 73 



seems to be black ants, termites, beetles, fruit, particularly the seeds of 

 Cassia fistula, of the date tree, honey, &c. When pursued they carry 

 their cubs on their backs. In 1833 a bear was chased and killed, having 

 carried her two cubs in this way for nearly three miles. It appears to be a 

 long-lived animal ; instances are known of their living in captivity for 40 

 years." Had Mr. Elliot lived in parts of Central India, he would have 

 learned that there is no fruit* the Bear enjoys more than that of the 

 Mohwa (Bassia latifolia), which falls in such profusion during the night, 

 and the early sportsman is sure to find the bears engaged in their pleasant 

 repast under some of these trees. 



I have abridged from Tickell's admirable account of this animal the 

 subsequent observations : " The power of suction in the bear as well as of 

 propelling wind from its mouth is very great. It is by this means it is 

 enabled to procure its common food of white ants and larvae with ease. 

 On arriving at an ant-hill, the bear scrapes away with the fore-feet until 

 he readies the large combs at the bottom of the galleries. He then with 

 violent puffs dissipates the dust and crumbled particles of the nest, and 

 sucks out the inhabitants of the comb by such forcible inhalations as to be 

 heard at two hundred yards' distance or more. Large larvae are in this way 

 sucked out from great depths under the soil. Where bears abound, their 

 vicinity may be readily known by numbers of these uprooted ants' nests 

 and excavations, in which the marks of their claws are plainly visible. 

 They occasionally rob birds' nests and devour the eggs. In running the 

 bear moves in a rough canter, shaking up and do wn, but gets with great 

 speed over very bad gound, regardless of tumbles down the rough places. 

 The sucking of the paw accompanied by a drumming noise when at rest, 

 and especially after meals, is common to all bears, and during the heat of 

 the day they may often be heard puffing and humming far down in caverns 

 and fissures of rocks." The cause of this has often been speculated on, but 

 Tickell imagines that it is merely a habit peculiar to it, and he states 

 "that they are just as fond of sucking their neighbour's paws, or the 

 hands of any person, as their own paws." 



They go with young about seven months, and generally bring forth two, 

 at various times, but most usually about December and January. When 

 taken young they are capable of being most thoroughly tamed, and will 

 then partake of any kind of food. They are very commonly led about to 



* It is properly only the sweet fleshy flower that falls off, not the fruit, as popularly called. 



