82 MAMMALIA. 
smooth fur. It pursues seals and other marine animals. Exagger- 
ated accounts of its ferocity have rendered it highly celebrated (a). 
{<= (a) In the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, may be seen the following 
Bears :— 
Sloth Bears, Ursus labiatus, Blain., male and female. They are the species usually 
exhibited by the Indian jugglers, and have been found milder in their dispositions 
than most of the other Bears. They are from India. 
Malay Bear, or Malayan Sun Bear, Ursus Malayanus, Horsfield. This bear was 
brought from Sumatra, and is found only in places near the equator. It feeds chiefly 
on vegetables, and is particularly fond of the young shoots of the cocoa nut tree. It 
is likewise fond of honey, and the tongue, as may be seen, is elongated, so as to 
adapt it admirably to the process of lapping. 
Spectacled Bear, Ursus ornatus of F. Cuvier. This Bear is a great curiosity; it is 
a native of the mountains of South America, and has been but recently described; 
this is the first of the species that has been seen in this country. 
American Black Bear, Ursus Americanus. This Bear is from North America, and 
feeds on vegetable roots and fruits; and, in its native state, resorts to the sea coasts 
for the purpose of consuming fish. It appears to be smaller in size than the Euro- 
pean bear. 
Cinnamon Bears, called also Chocolate Bears, are considered only as varieties of 
the Black Bears. The former, however, are distinguished from the latter by the 
marked difference of their habitats; for, whilst the Black Bears keep to close and woody 
districts, the Cinnamon Bears live in the open and upland grounds; the latter are 
described also as more powerful and vicious than the others in the native state. 
The European Brown Bear, sus arctos, Linneus. This bear is from Siberia, 
and its diet is altogether vegetable. The flesh of the young bears of this species is 
eatable. 
Siberian Bear, Ursus collaris, F. Cuvier. This bear is particularly distinguished 
by the white collar around his neck. But some naturalists doubt if the animal be 
not a mere variety of the Brown Bear. 
Grisly Bear, Ursus ferox, Lewis and Clarke. This is an object of great curiosity, 
inasmuch, as in all probability it is the largest and most powerful of the bear 
tribe; it is certainly the most ferocious, and is described as possessing extraordinary 
tenacity of life. This specimen was brought from the rocky mountains in North 
America, about the year 1813, to England, and was placed in the menagerie of the 
Tower. It formed part of the munificent present, made by his present Majesty on 
his accession, to the Zoological Society. 
White or Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus, Gmelin. This isa remarkable female spe- 
cimen of the White Bear, which is found in no other part of the world except the 
coldest of the northern regions. This Bear appeared formerly to be the largest; but 
its size was greatly misrepresented by the older navigators. Captain Parry, in his 
north-west expedition, has not met with one which exceeded seven or eight feet. 
This bear preserves uniformly a white colour on every part of its external surface, 
except on the naked end of the snout, the lips, and the margins of the eyelids and claws. 
There is no doubt whatever, that the female Polar Bears, when pregnant, are subject to 
undergo hybernation; and, it is probable, that the males merely suffer from the effects 
of torpidity, the nature of which will be found explained in a previousnote to the Hedge- 
hog. The distinction pointed out in that note between hybernation and torpidity affords 
a medium, whereby the contrary opinions of naturalists on this point may be recon- 
ciled. This Bear is chiefly hunted for its hide and fur. ‘The accounts which we pos- 
sess of the Brown Bear, so common in the Scandinavian forests, are the result 
of a persevering scientific study of the habits of these animals. They consist, 
according to some, of two varieties of the Ursus aretos, the large Bear, or Bear of 
prey, in Swedish, Slag- Bjorn, which lives indiscriminately on animal and vegetable 
substances, is one; and a smaller species, in Swedish, Myr Bjorn, which subsists en- 
tirely on ants or vegetable substances, forms the second. Other naturalists, however, 
are of opinion that there is only one real species in Scandinavia, and that it is omni- 
vorous, feeding on cattle indiscriminately, and on roots, leaves, small branches and 
berries of all sorts. One remarkable habit of this beast is, that about October every 
year he ceases to feed for the winter season; his stomach and intestines then become 
