SLOTH BEAR 



443 



and the Thibetan Bhie Bear {/J. priiinosus) ai-e distinct sijecies, 

 not to be confounded with U. arctos. Neither, of course, are the 

 Peruvian U. ornatus and the Sun Bear, U. mcdayanus. 



The Polar Bear has even been placed in a separate genus, 

 Thalassarctos, a proceeding which is quite unnecesisary. The 

 white colour of this Bear tends to become browner with age. It 

 is one of the few mammals which extend right round the pole ; 

 the Polar Bear is of course a purely Arctic animal. The chigf food 

 of the Polar Bear is Seal. Out of thirty Bears examined, Mr. 



Fig. 225. — Malayan Bear. UrsKs malayanns. 



Koettlitz found that only fifteen had animal remains in their 

 stomachs, and these remains were invariably Seal. The animal 

 apparently hunts by scent rather than by sight or hearing, both of 

 which senses seem to be somewhat dull. The males and females 

 wander separately, except of course during the breeding season. 

 The Bears dig holes in which they may remain for some time, 

 bnt there is no hibernation. In Pleistocene times, the Polar 

 Bear extended as far south as Hamburg. The female has four 

 mammae, pectoral iu position. 



Melursus includes only M. lulilittus, the Sloth Bear of India. 

 This animal has an upturned snout, which is described as closely 

 resembling that of Mydaus, the Teledu. Tlie snout has no groove. 



