80 



MAMMALIA 



-UBSID.C. 



she made a second rush, her eyes glaring like balls of 

 fire. At a few paces from her enemy she rose on her 

 hind legs, intending to give him a settler with her 

 powerful paws, or to clasp him in her savage embrace ; 

 but on the instant, he made a sweep with his club, 

 and dealt a blow that toppled her over. She was up 

 again in a second, and ready for action, but another 

 blow laid her prostrate. This added to her ferocity, 

 and it at once became a close encounter of the most 

 deadly and savage character. Many rounds were 

 fought, her antagonist keeping clear of her paws. At 

 last the blows began to tell on her courage. She 

 endeavoured to get behind him ; but his cudgel met 

 her at every turn, and was so well wielded that when- 

 ever within reach she received a stroke which drove her 

 back step by step, till both came under the tree. 

 Here the fight was renewed with increased fury, and 

 every time the cubs whined she made her attack with 

 redoubled violence. The battle continued to rage 

 furiously ; but the blows from the staff fell so fast, and 

 were applied with so much force, that at last she 

 began a retreat towards the forest, the skirts of which 

 she entered; but the moment her brave assailant 

 moved a step towards the tree, she would rush out, 

 taking especial care, however, not to come within his 

 reach. The cubs remained in the branches the sole 

 spectators of this extraordinary scene; nor could the 

 Cossack officer devise any plan by which he could get 

 them down. At their respective posts the combat- 

 ants stood, he guarding the cubs, and the mother 

 standing at the edge of the forest. At this time a 

 woodman returning to the gold mine, rode into the 

 glade. He was instantly hailed, and rode towards the 

 tree ; but when he heard the growls, and beheld the 

 bear, then in her most savage mood, bis natural 

 impulse to bolt was only checked by the fear of a 

 birching promised by his superior. He was ordered 

 to dismount, and take from his saddle the zumka (large 

 leathern bags), and open them ; then to climb the tree, 

 and bring down the cubs. The man was soon up 

 among the branches, secured a cub, brought it down, 

 and then tied it safe in the bag. The other was also 

 quickly placed beside it in the other bag. During 

 these operations the mother rushed at the Cossack, 

 and was several times knocked down by his weapon. 

 The peasant was now ordered to place the bags on his 

 horse, and lead the way to the gold mine, the Cossack 

 covering the retreat, and beating off the enemy .at 

 every charge. After a walk of nearly two hours, they 

 reached the village, the bear keeping close up with 

 them. As they went through the forest, she made 

 many charges, but each time was laid prostrate, and 

 finally would not approach within striking distance. 

 When they reached the village the Cossack officer 

 hoped to secure the dam ; but after following them to 

 the cottages, she returned to the forest, and was never 

 seen again. The cubs were kept, and became great 

 pets with the people. Even the hardy hunters of 

 Siberia consider this a most daring feat, wondering at 

 the power, and admiring the cool courage of the man 

 who accomplished it" Mr. Atkinson records many 

 other pleasing adventures and interesting facts con- 

 nected with the Siberian bear. Like most other 



quadrupeds, this animal has a great fear of fire ; but 

 when pressed with hunger he will, in order to seize 

 any person who may be reposing by a fire in fancied 

 security, deliberately enter some stream, and having 

 saturated his fur with water, put out the fire by rolling 

 over it, and then secure his victim. Bears have been 

 known, even in the wild state, to show attachment to 

 young people ; and the same author mentions an 

 instance where two young children, two and four 

 years of age respectively, had wandered from a hay- 

 field where their parents were at work, and when the 

 father and mother went to look for them, lo and 

 behold ! one was sitting on a huge bear's back, whilst 

 the other was feeding the beast with wild fruit! 

 The children readily came away at their parents' 

 alarming calls, and Bruin seemed vexed to part with 

 his joyous little companions. 



THE SYKIAN BEAE (Ursus syi-iacus). This 

 appears to be a well-marked species ; the fur is of a 

 fulvous or light-brown colour, whilst on the upper part of 

 the heck there is a mane of thick rigid hairs, which 

 increase in length towards the shoulders, terminating 

 posteriorly about the centre of the back. The Syrian 

 bear, though often feasting upon animals, is said to be 

 particularly partial to certain kinds of vegetable food, 

 and more especially to the chick-pea, Cicer arietinns, 

 entire crops being laid waste by its ravages. 



HORSFIELD'S BEAE ( Ursus isabellinus) is an inha- 

 bitant of the entire Himalayan chain of hills, and, like 

 the foregoing species, is of a pale fulvous colour ; it is, 

 however, quite a distinct form. According to Dr. 

 Horsfield, it resembles "the European bears in its 

 structure, as far at least as can be determined from the 

 parts which have been preserved in the specimen 

 (procured from Nepaul). Among these, the claws 

 afford the best means of comparison ; they are small, 

 obtuse, and straight ; while those of the Asiatic bears 

 (U. thibetinus, U. labiatus, and U. malayanus) are 

 large, strongly-curved, acute, and fitted for climbing." 



THE SLOTH BEAU (Ursus labiatus} exhibits so 

 striking a resemblance to a sloth, that when it was first 

 made known to Europeans, it was actually described 

 as a species of Bradypus. Some confusion has arisen 

 respecting it, partly perhaps on account of the varied 

 nomenclature by which it has been indicated ; thus it 

 is called the Ursine sloth, the Labiated bear, the Jungle 

 bear, and one author denominates it the Bengal bear. 

 It is an awkward, unwieldy animal. The body is 

 clothed with thickly-set, black, shaggy hair, which 

 becomes much longer when the animal is old. The 

 head is depressed and attenuated in front, the nasal 

 cartilage being movable and extensile. The lips are 

 capable of protrusion, this being especially the case 

 with the lower one. Captain Thomas Williamson, in 

 his " Oriental Field Sports," remarks that " the Bengal 

 bear is distinguished by the deep black colour of his 

 hair, and by a crescent of white hair, like a gorget, on 

 his breast. The hind legs are shorter, and the paws 

 flatter and longer than those of the European breed ; 

 his pace is more shuffling, awkward, and laboured, 

 though quick enough to overtake a man on foot ; and 

 his hair is long and thinly scattered over his body. He 

 is remarkably active in climbing; frequently, when not 



