240 WANDERINGS OF A 



scantier and darker in colour as the season advances, so that 

 towards autumn the under-fur disappears, and the white 

 collar,* scarcely perceptible before, becomes now very distinct, 

 whilst the general colour of the whole coat is much darker. 

 These changes have evidently been the causes of many of 

 the so-called varieties of Himalayan bears mentioned by 

 travellers, such as the white bear, the brown bear, and the 

 white and brown ; this latter appearance is mostly observed 

 during midsummer, when the animal is shedding its winter 

 fur, which hangs then in matted masses on its sides. I ob- 

 served, as a general rule, that the bears, on their first 

 appearance in spring, were much lighter in colour than in 

 autumn, and occasionally an almost white variety was 

 not uncommon. Many old males were very dark brown, but 

 the colour is no certain sexual distinction, as Mr. Vigne 

 imagined, neither does it determine age. Seldom more 

 than one or two cubs are born at one litter. The she-bear 

 generally appears with her young in spring, and from the 

 size of the cubs, possibly their birth takes place either during 

 hibernation or immediately afterwards. "When caught young 

 they are easily domesticated, and become harmless and playful, 

 but always rough and overbearing ; indeed the old bears are. 

 far from ferocious, and will seldom attack their pursuers 

 unless severely wounded and brought to bay. The eyesight 

 is by no means good, and were it not for the extraordinary 

 acuteness of smell, there are few animals more stupid and less 

 alert than the brown bear of the Himalayas. 



The black bear {Helardos tiietanus) is not found in the 

 Wurdwun, or at such high elevations as the last. Its favourite 

 haunts are in the woods and jungles of the lesser ranges, where 



* This gave rise to Cuvier's Ursus coUaris, from a specimen of the brown 

 bear of Europe procured in autumn. 



