72 



Div. 1. YERTEBRATE ANIMALS.— MAMMALIA. 



Class 1. 



Fip. 25. — The Jungle Bear. 



The Jungle Bear {U. labiaUis, Blainv. : U. lonffirosfris, Tied: Bradyinis ?»wn!/«, Shaw), which has the nasal 

 cartilage dilated, and the tip of the under lip elongated, both lips being moveable : when old, very long shaggy 

 hairs surround the head. The muzzle and tips of the paws are fulvous or whitish, and there is a half-collar 

 or Y-like marking on the fore-neck and cheek. [The incisors of this species geneially drop at an early 



age.] It is a favourite with the Indian jugglers 

 on account of its uncouth appearance. 



M. Horsfield describes another Bear from Nipal 

 of a light bay colour, the nails of which are less 

 trenchant than those of the other Bears of India, 

 and which appears to him a distinct species. We 

 have also recovered many fossil bones of lost spe- 

 cies of Bears ; the most remarkable of which are 

 U. speheus, Blumenb., with a rounded forehead, 

 and of very large size ; and U. cultridens, Cuv., for 

 which see the fourth vol. of my Ossemens Fos- 

 siles : [another extinct species (U. sivalensis. 

 Cant, and Falc), has been detected in the Si>"alik 

 deposits of the sub-Himmalayas.] Lastly, 



The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimits, Lin.), is yet 

 another species, very distinctly characterized by 

 its lengthened and flat head, and by its smooth 

 and white fur. It pursues Seals and other marine 

 animals [on the polar ice, but in captivity will 

 thrive, like the rest, on vegetable food only. It is the largest of the genus,] and exaggerated reports of its voracity 

 have rendered it very celebrated. [It constitutes the Tkalarctos of Gray.] 



The Raccoons (Procyon, Storr.) — 

 Have three tuberculous back molars [the first representing the carnivorous tooth], of which the superior 

 are nearly square, and three pointed false molars before them, forming a continuous series to the 

 canines, which are straight and compressed. Their tail is [moderateh] long ; but the rest of their 

 exterior is that of a Bear in miniature. They rest the whole sole of their foot on the ground only 

 when they are still, raising the heel when they advance. [Are peculiar to the western continent.] 



Tlie Common Raccoon (Ursus lotor, hin. ; Mapach of the Mexicans.) — Greyish brown; the muzzle white; a 

 brown streak across the eyes : tail annulated with brown and white rings. An animal the size of a Badger, which 

 is easily tamed, and remarkable for a singidar instinct of eating nothing that it has not previously dipped in water. 

 It is a native of North America, and subsists on eggs, birds, &c. 



The Crab-eating Raccoon {P. canrrivonis, Buff. Supp. vi. xxxii.) — Uniform ash-brown ; the caudal rings less 

 distinct. From South America. [Three others have been described by Prof. Wiegmann, (see Ann. Nat. Hist. 

 I. 133), of wliich P. Ilernandrii, Wagler, would appear to be dubiously separable from P. lotor.'] 



The Panda {Ailurus, F. Cuv.) — 



Appears to approximate the Raccoons by its canines and what is known of its other teeth ; except 

 that it has only one false molar. " Gen. Ilardwicke has since described it to have four square tuberculous 

 molars, and one trenchant false molar in front, at a short distance from the canine." The head is 

 short ; tail [rather] long ; gait plantigrade, the toes five in number, with half-retractile nails. 



Oidy one is known, the Bright Panda {A. refidgens, F. Cuv.)— Size of a large Cat ; the fur soft and thickly set : 

 above of the richest cinnamon-red ; behind more fulvous, and deep black beneath. The head is whitish, and the tail 



annulated with brown. This beautiful species, one of 

 the handsomest of known quadrujjeds, from the moun- 

 tains of the north of India, was sent to Europe by my 

 ^■'Wf^rr^ late son-in-law, M. Alfred du Vaucel. [It frequents 



the vicinity of rivers and mountain torrents, passes 

 r , -^^& much of its time upon trees, and feeds on birds and 

 mi'M "'^ smaller quadrupeds. Is generally discovered by 

 ^ means of its loud cry or call, which resembles the sound 

 icha, often repeated. The soles of its feet are hairy.] 



THEBiNTnRONGs(/c^?c?es,Valenc.;^rc^/c^w,Tem.) 

 Are also related to the Raccoons by their denti- 

 tion ; but the three superior back molars are 

 CDUsidcrably smaller, and less tuberculous, the 

 Last one of f.ich jaw more particularly, wliich is very small and almost simple. These animals are 



.,a'.^'?e'E^>7^a^ 



Fig. 23.— .\ilurus ful^cns. 



