170 WILD ANIMALS. 



their vicinity may be readily knowa by numbers of these uprooted 

 ants'-nests and excavations, in which the marks of their claws are 

 plainly visible. They occasionally rob birds'-nests and devour the 

 eggs. In running, the bear moves in a rough canter, shaking up 

 and down, but gets with great speed over very bad ground, re- 

 gardless of tumbles down the rough places. The sucking of the 

 paw accompanied by a drumming noise when at rest, and especially 

 after meals, is common to all bears, and during the heat of the 

 day they may often be heard puffing and humming far down in 

 caverns and fissures of rocks." 



The animals in the Regent's Park collection can often be heard 

 making this purring or humming sound, which is a continuous and 

 monotonous note, not entirely unmusical, and in consequence 

 has been termed "the singing of the bears." When it is heard 

 they can always be seen either sucking their own paws or the 

 paws of their companions, and when in a tame state will whine 

 in the same way if they are allowed to suck any person's hands. 



Another characterizing feature of these bears is their extensible 

 lips, which protrude considerably when they require to seize 

 something a little distance beyond the reach of the nose. At an 

 early age they lose the front teeth or incisors, and the cavities 

 close up, hence the front of the mouth has a smooth and toothless 

 appearance. 



" The specific name, labiatus, meaning lipped, is well given, for 

 emphatically it is a much-lipped creature. In fact, as a show 

 animal, its fortune consists in its labial opulence. No other of 

 the whole ursine tribe can produce such facial grimaces as can 

 this our jungle bear. Not only are its lips long and flexible, but 

 there is a singular mobility in the snout. Sitting on its hind-feet, 

 with this curious labial and nasal dexterity, it will attract atten- 

 tion. The nose, as if gifted with a caudal capacity, perhaps to 

 make amends for the absence of that member from its proper 

 place, will move from side to side, a genuine nasal wag, and the 

 lips will go up and down, then shoot out to an extraordinary 

 length ; then will come a labial clap, or smack, if an actual slap 

 of the Hps may be so called. This series of contortions of the 

 countenance is irresistibly comical, and the entire performance 



