1 86 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



In conclusion, the writer begs to express his grateful thanks 

 for the kindly assistance afforded him by the authorities of the 

 Natural History Museum, the Cambridge Museum, and the 

 Senckenburg Museum, Frankfort, and also to the numerous 

 sportsmen and owners of private collections for the generous 

 way in which they have, at no slight trouble to themselves, 

 lightened his labours by contributing records of sport and 

 measurements of horns and animals. 



II. THE BEARS OF INDIA AND BURMAH 



There are no fewer than five varieties of bears to be found 

 in our Eastern Empire. The three most commonly met with 

 are the Himalayan black bear, Ursus torquatus (native name 

 ' Kala Bhalu ') ; the Himalayan snow bear, Ursus Isabellinus 

 (native names ' Lai Bhalu ' ; Cashmere ' Harput ') ; and the sloth 

 bear of the plains, Ursus labiatus (native names ' Bhalu,' 

 'Reech,' 'Adam zad ') 



The Himalayan black bear is common enough on the 

 southern slopes of the Himalayas, but rarely crosses the main 

 snow-line. Being chiefly a fruit and corn eater, in contradis- 

 tinction to the snow bear, whose main food consists of grass and 

 roots, it likes to live near villages, especially when the maize 

 crops are ripening. Dense jungle is a necessity to it for shelter 

 during the day and for the wild fruit and berries it lives on 

 before the crops are ripe, and this jungle is non-existent on the 

 northern side of the main range. The snow bear is found on 

 both sides of the range, but does not extend to Ladak. Both 

 black and snow bears will kill cattle and sheep if they get 

 the chance, and neither variety is above eating carrion. The 

 black bear with his short sturdy nails climbs readily, while the 

 long digging claws of the snow bear prevent him doing much 

 in that line, though he is said to be able to climb a little. The 

 villagers in the Himalayas have to keep their bees inside their 

 houses both for the sake of warmth in winter and also to pre- 

 vent the hives being robbed by bears. Both varieties hibernate, 



