17.'^ DIVISION I. VI':RTKr,KAL ANIMALS.— CLAS8 I. MAMMALIA. 



niul sides of the neck, and a white crescent marks the breast, but liigher up 

 towards tiie tlu'oat than in the sun bears. The only species known is the one 

 described below. 



P. Lnliiiilas. — The Bauloo, or Sloth Bear. This is a low-legged, chuns)'- 

 looking animal, and yet it will climb trees with more agility than the true 

 bears, and dance and gambol, in its wild state, in the most fantastic manner. 

 It is about three feet six inches in length ; is thickly covered with long, black 

 hair, and has a prolonged muzzle, which, with the lips, checks, and the 

 crescent-shaped mark beneath the throat, is white. Its delight seems to be 

 to gambol through the wild mountain forests, and sometimes to entertain 

 travellers Iiv preceding them in the road, performing somersets and other 

 mysterious antics, which might excite the envy of the most skilful human 

 gynuiast. .lolinston, in his "Sketches of India," testifies to the truth of this 

 peculiarity <jf the species. " Bears will often continue on the road, in front 

 of a palancpiin, for a mile or two, tumbling, and playing all sorts of antics, 

 as if they were taught to do so. I believe it is their natural disposition ; for 

 they certainly ai-e the UKJst amusing creatures imaginable in a wild state. It 

 is no wcindcr they are led aliout \\ith monkeys to anuise mankind. It is 

 astonishiuLr, as well as ludicrous, to see them climb rocks, and tumble, or 

 rather mil, down precipices. If they arc attacked by a person on h(jrseback, 

 thev stand erect on their Jiind legs, siiowing a fine set of white teeth, and 

 make a crackling kind of nuisc. {( tiio horse comes near them, they try to 

 catch him by the legs; and, if they miss him, they tumble over and over 

 several times. They arc easily speared by a person on horseback that is 

 bold cniiugh to go near them." 



It is not strange that a creature so full of life and apparent mirth should 

 jiinc in eajitivitv, and fall into melancholy, especially when alone. Besides 

 the tiunliliiig and rolling propcmsily, this animal anmscs himself with a kind 

 of song. Sitting on his iiams, or standing on liis iiind feet, he places one of 

 his fore paws at the side of his mouth, and chants his strains, which consist 

 uf a kind of humming noi>e. lie appears greatly to enjoy his nuisic. 



Some travellers, however, ascriljc to this bear a sanguinary character of 

 the most terrible kind. It is said that he will surprise a solitary traveller, 

 seize him suddenly Ijy the throat, and liring him to the earth, clinging to 

 his neck, and sucking his blood until e\ery drop is extracted from the veins 

 of the victim. This is fully confirmed by an event which once occurred at a 

 menagerie. 



By some unaccountable carelessness the door of the den where one of these 

 animals was kc[it was left open : and the keepei-"s w ife hajipening to go 

 across the coui-t at the same time, (he animal flew out, seized the \vo:nan, 

 threw her down, and fastened upon her neck, \\liicli he bit : and w ithout 



