204 Remarks on Ursus labiatus. 



size of Newfoundland pups, and take upwards of two years 

 in reaching maturity. While young the bear is a fractious 

 but amusing animal, full of antics, and droll awkward ges- 

 tures. The male is easily reared, the female is much tenderer. 

 They are capable in general of being thoroughly tamed, will 

 take to any kind of food, and are delighted by any one 

 wrestling and romping with them ; though when nearly full 

 grown, they are rough playmates. When the cubs have ac- 

 quired some strength the mother takes them forth on her 

 back, and in time weans them by teaching them to scratch 

 up and devour white ants. They ride about on her in this 

 way until of a tolerable size, especially if pursued or in dan- 

 ger, and stick so close into the long fur of the female's 

 back, as to be with difficulty discovered until close. The 

 old one on these occasions is sometimes very fierce, rushing 

 out on the unwary passenger and cruelly wounding him. 

 Many instances of death occur in this manner, where these 

 animals are numerous, among those people whose occupa- 

 tion is to cut firewood in the jungles. In the hot season 

 and during the rains the Bhaloos resort to high rocky spots, 

 lying during the day deep down in inaccessible caves, with 

 which the clusters of granitic rocks in Singbhoom and the 

 Jungle Mehals are every way permeated, and coming forth in 

 the shades of evening, to pass the night wandering through 

 the open country. During the cold weather they avoid the 

 chilly glooms of these caverns, and keep out in the plains 

 of brushwood, in the thickets on the banks of nullahs, or 

 along the ravines which fall into them. Very deep jungles 

 of tall forest trees and heavy grass, or large hills, they do 

 not appear to frequent so commonly, probably from fear of 

 the tigers, who will destroy and devour them. The Koles 

 have assured me that they have met with the half eaten 

 carcases of very large bears in places haunted by tigers. 

 This latter animal drops from an overhanging ledge of rock 

 on the bear's back as it passes below, and quickly over- 

 powers all resistance by seizing it at the nape of the neck, 



