144 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



to Polar or Brown Bears, and even between themselves. One hybrid and a 

 three-parts Polar specimen were on view at the London Zoological Gardens 

 when this book was written. 



THE PIED BEAR 



{^Eluropus melanoleucus) 



Although this animal is nowadays classed along with the Panda in 

 the Raccoon and Coati family, and is often called the Great Panda, it is 

 at any rate closely related to the Bears, and, being like a Bear in form 

 and size, may be conveniently noticed here: no doubt, if the Raccoons 

 and Coatis were not known, it would rank as merely an abnormal 

 member of the Ursine family. It is a small animal for a Bear, and 

 very curiously coloured, the' main hue being white, with the limbs, 

 ears, a band across the shoulders, and a ring round each eye, jet 

 black. The tail is short as in the true Bears. This animal inhabits 

 the high regions of the east of Tibet and the north-west of China, and 

 little is known about it. It appears, however, to be chiefly a vegetable 

 feeder like the ordinary Panda. As it has never been shown in 

 captivity, it is one of the few of the world's remarkable beasts which 

 are still desiderata in our Zoological Gardens. 



THE BLUE BEAR 



{Ursus pruinosus) 



There is a little-known true Bear inhabiting much the same regions as 

 the above animal, of which only one or two specimens have come to 

 hand. This is known as the Blue Bear from the colour of its coat,, 

 which is of the colour known as " blue roan " in a Horse, an intimate 

 mixture of black and white hairs. The coat is long and thick, and 

 the ears are very furry; in size the animal' is rather small, considerably- 

 less than the ordinary Brown Bear. 



