518 



takes regarding different species of Brown Bears. The shades of 

 colour vary much. I observed that the bears seeu in spring were 

 always lighter in colour than in autumn ; and occasionally an almost 

 white variety was to be met with, and various shades, from a dirty 

 brownish white to a dark brown. Many of the old males were very 

 dark brown, and several females a lighter brown ; but I found that 

 these varieties were not dependent on age or sex. It is difficult to 

 say what Brown Bears will not eat ; however, it appears they prefer 

 vegetable to animal food. Tender roots and shoots of plants, fruits, 

 flesh of Ibex (killed by avalanches), Deer, Cattle, &c, are greedily 

 devoured by them. One was killed by a friend of mine feeding on 

 the carcass of a Cashmere Deer, which it had evidently surprised 

 and killed when bringing forth young, as a new-born calf lay close 

 beside the mother. During spring, shortly after leaving their higher 

 resting-places, they seldom roam any distance from their retreats, 

 and feed on the grassy slopes close to the melting snow, on which 

 they are fond of lying during the heat of the day. As the season 

 advances, they increase in bulk, and become very fat by the end of 

 October, particularly after feeding on walnuts and apples. They 

 are very fond of a description of small white carrot, abundant in 

 shady ravines, and the roots of the wild strawberry, which they 

 tear up with their fore paws. This Bear is by no means so expert 

 at climbing as its Black congener, and consequently is seldom seen 

 in trees. The she-bear appears in spring with one or two cubs, and 

 rarely three ; the latter, when caught very young, are easily domes- 

 ticated, and become harmless and playful ; indeed the old ones are 

 far from being ferocious, and, unless when severely wounded and 

 hard pressed, never attempt to charge their pursuers. Its eyesight 

 is bad ; and the sportsman usually finds he can approach within 

 a few yards, provided the wind is favourable ; but if otherwise, 

 their acute sense of smell will enable them to discover danger a long 

 way off. 



27. Helarctos tibetanus (F. Cuv.). 



Black Bear of Europeans. 



The native names are the same as those mentioned above for the 

 Brown Bear. To the best of my knowledge, this species is not 

 found in Tibet ; anyhow, the name has not been well selected, as 

 the species is generally distributed over the lower ranges of the 

 Western Himalayas. Unlike the U. isabellinus, it does not hybernate, 

 and prefers the wooded mountain-sides of the lower chains to the 

 high and bare slopes of the interior. Its favourite resort in summer 

 is among thick jungle, near fields of Indian corn or vineyards, where 

 it commits great depredations during the grain and fruit seasons, 

 devouring tender shoots of plants, wild rhubarb, bark of trees, 

 apples, grapes, walnuts? and Indian corn. Natives allege they some- 

 times eat flesh and kill sheep ; but this must only be when hard 

 pressed for food, as the species is eminently a vegetable feeder. They 

 arc expert climbers, and during the fruit season in the Vale of 



