i88 FLESH-EATERS OF THE LAND 



lived at the Zoo for over thirty years. In November, 1908, 

 a young Polar Bear was born in Regent* s Park, the first since 

 1866, when an animal was born and died the same day. 

 This tiny fluffy new arrival was about the size of a kitten. 

 In a natural state the White Bear has the reputation of 

 being a most devoted mother ; but the one in captivity 

 made no attempt to sustain the character of her tribe. The 

 little one was born at 9 a.m., and the only notice the 

 mother took of it was to pick it up by the neck or leg and 

 then drop it heavily on to the hard concrete floor of the 

 den. It was rescued at the end of three-quarters of an hour 

 only just in time to avoid its immediate death from cold 

 and exposure. A retriever foster-mother was obtained for 

 the little creature, but all to no purpose, for it lived only 

 a few hours longer. 



In addition to the foregoing there are various species 

 of the Bear family. The Black Bear (Ursus americanus) 

 is the smallest of the American Bears and is practically 

 harmless, except that it frequently ravages the maize-fields. 

 The Malayan Bear (Ursus malayanus), Plate XVII. Fig. i, 

 of the Malay Peninsula and neighbouring islands, is a great 

 honey-eater, and, in addition, does much damage in the 

 cocoa plantations. The Spectacled Bear (Ursus ornatus) of 

 South America is a black-coated animal with dirty yellow 

 rings around its eyes. 



The Indian Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus), Plate XVII. 

 Fig. 2, is a rough, clumsy animal with an elongated 

 muzzle and remarkably mobile lips, which it protrudes and 

 retracts with wonderful facility. This modification of the 

 mouth enables the creature to pick up ants and grubs. 

 Although it only weighs from two to three hundred pounds 

 it is a formidable little beast ; and Sir Samuel Baker was of 

 opinion that it caused more accidents to Indian natives than 

 any other animal. Major C. S. Cumberland says that, when 

 wounded, the Sloth Bear ' is a perfect fiend, rushing about 

 hither and thither, clawing and biting anything he comes 

 against, yelling and roaring all the time.' This Bear 

 often raids the natives' palm-juice vessels, with the result 

 that it retires to its den in a sad state of intoxication. 



