232 WANDEKINGS OF A 



of the melting snow, which appears to be a favourite resort, 

 possihly for the purpose of obtaining the tender shoots and 

 opening buds of plants. The forest around resounded the 

 crowing of plach pheasants, and as we neared the tent I came 

 suddenly on a huge brown bear intently feeding on a clearing. 

 Although his head was directed towards me, he did not seem 

 to notice us until we were within a few yards, and it was too 

 late to make his escape. This individual, although not equal 

 in dimensions to the largest killed by Halkett during my pre- 

 vious excursion, was seemingly one of the oldest Isabella bears 

 I had seen. The canine teeth had either been broken off or 

 ground down with the molars to the level of the gums, and 

 one or two of the latter were wanting in the upper jaw. The 

 fur was a dark-brown with isabella-coloured tips, showing that 

 the white varieties are not the result of age. The claws were 

 unusually long, possibly from want of use, and perhaps the 

 eyesight was also impaired from age. I noticed that in one 

 reared by Young the eyes became affected with an ophthalmia 

 which occasioned dimness of vision ; and as the disease is 

 known to attack tamed individuals, it may also be the case 

 that the wild animal is occasionally similarly affected. The 

 above evidently had taken up his abode ia the glen for some 

 time, for on the following day we traced his foot-marks like 

 steps of stairs up the face of the sward to the cliffs where his 

 den was situated. No doubt he had continued for years pur- 

 suing the even tenor of his way to the little stream below and 

 grassy slopes, seldom roaming beyond a short distance from 

 cover, where in all probability these patriarchs end their days, 

 and, like the Ursus spelmus of old, enveloped in earthy and 

 calcareous deposits, and thus preserve their remains for un- 

 reckoned ages. I weU remember, when on our way from 

 Wurdwun to Pambur, halting one day on the banks of the 



