GENERAL CIIARACTERIS TICS. 



211 



forms to be found among the bears. It I hot hours of the cl; 



grows to a considerable size, attaining the 



length of about six feet, and attracts attention 



by its long flat-browed head ending in a 



movable proboscis, on which the nostrils 



open in the form of slits protected by Haps, 



which are constantly in motion. The thin 



lips hang down over the mouth, and can be 



pushed out in the form of a tube. The \'erv 



long thin flattened tonmie resembles that of 



a ofiraffe, and is used as an orran for oraspino-. 



The large paws are armed with enormous 



sharp sickle-shaped claws, reminding us by 



their form of the claws ot sloths.^ 



The Indian black bear inhabits the moun- 

 tain forests of India and Cevlon. It climbs 

 the hio'liest trees with ease, seekiuQ- fruits and 

 the nests of wild bees, ot which it is extremelv 



i\% and 



preiers 



ters the cool 



nights tor his plundering expeditions, in 

 which he but seldom attacks animals. - 



The reputation of the Indian black bear is 

 difterent in different places. On the main- 

 land he is regarded as a tolcrablv peaceable 

 animal, and vet liable to outbursts of raoe. 

 When disturbed in his comfortable repose, or 

 when one seeks to ward oft' his attacks on 

 the beehives, he takes it very ill. In Ceylon 

 the Indian black bear is even more dreaded 

 than the tiger. Evervwhere he is reoarded 

 as very cruel. The natives maintain that 

 in making an attack he always aims at the 

 eves, endeavourino- to tear them out with his 

 claws, and atterwards stranolino- his victim 



O O 



and rending it in pieces. 



The apparent good-nature of the Indian 



.fond. With its long claws it opens the most black bear in confinement is not to be trustee 



solidly built nests of the termites, which it 

 devours just as greedily as our bear does ants. 

 The sweeter the truits and plants are the 

 more are they sought after by this animal, 

 which likewise commits oreat ravaoes in 



Manv a keeper has been verv severely handled 

 in consequence ot sudden accesses ot tury in 

 this savage animal. In their nati\-e country 

 these animals are trained to dance, and led 

 about hv a rino- throuo'h their nose to turnish 



the sugar plantations. He rests during the I amusement, as the brown bears are among us. 



THE BADGER AND WEASEL FAMILY 



(MUSTELIDA). 



Except a single species all the Carni\-ora belonging to this family have a single large tubercled tooth in each half 



of the upper, and two molars in each half of the lower jaw. 



The finest and most valuable furs are derived 

 from this familv. The costliest of all furs are 

 in fact those obtained from the martens and 

 otters. The sea-otter, the sable, and the 

 visons are everywhere regarded as the jewels 

 of the fur trade. To wear ermine was at one 

 time the prerogative of princes, and even the 

 inferior sorts, such as the furs of the American 



' It is pavth' to this circumstance, partly to the tact that the inner 

 incisors frequently drop out very early in lil'e, that this animal owes 

 the vernacular name of Sloth-boar, by which it is oilcn known. 



-Tr. 



marten, the common marten, and the polecat 

 still hold the first rank in the trade. 



The members of this tamily are in general 

 small animals, for the great majority are on 

 an averao-e onlv about iS or 20 inches in 

 length. 



Only the dentition, of which we will speak 

 below, can furnish fixed characters for the 



= Mr. G. P. Sanderson in his Wild Bcjsts of India mentions 

 instances in which the Indian black bear has been known to eat 



the llesh of dead animals, but he adds that it never attempts to kill 

 anim.als for lood. — Tr. 



