THE ASWAIL, OR SLOTH BEAR. 



407 



that it cannot be baffled by loftiness of trunk or smoothness of bark ; and when the 

 creature has attained the summit of the tree it frequently destroys the life of the tree by 

 devouring the topmost shoot for the sake of its delicate succulence. The cocoa-nuts 

 themselves are objects of interest to the Bornean Bruang, who is extremely fond of the 

 peculiarly-flavored liquid that is found in the interior of the nut ; and when he has 

 reached a cluster of ripe nuts will tear them from the tree and fling them on the ground. 

 In captivity it is gentle, playful, and amusing, and possesses very curious and almost 

 ludicrous habits, which render it an object of interest to its visitors. Profoundly sen- 

 sible of human sympathies, and almost as fond of notice as a cat, the Bornean Bruang 

 will accept with evident delight the caresses of its visitors, and is pleased to be patted, 

 or stroked by kindly hands, provided that it does not happen to be in a bad humor at 

 the time. Should the animal consider itself to be insulted a matter of rather frequent 

 occurrence it will contumeliously reject all advances, and will not consent to receive 

 any mark of attention until the offender is fairly out of sight. 





ASWAIL, OR SLOTH BEAR.-Afe/wrsas Lfblus. 



UNWIELDY in its movements, and grotesque in its form, the ASWAIL or SLOTH BEAR is 

 one of the most curious members of this group of animals. It is found in the mount- 

 ainous parts of India, and is equally dreaded and admired by the natives of the same 

 country. 



Athough a sufficiently harmless creature if permitted to roam unmolested among its 

 congenial scenery of mountain and precipice, it is at the same time an extremely 

 dangerous foe if its slumbering passions are aroused by wounds or bodily pain of any 

 kind. It needs, however, that the wound be tolerably severe to induce the animal to turn 

 upon the person that inflicted the injury ; for should it only be slightly wounded, it 

 runs forward in a straight line, as if it were actuated by the one idea of getting as far as 



