150 WILD BEASTS OF THE WOULD 



trees, and it actually sucks " white-ants " and beetle-grubs out of the 

 ground, first blowing away as much of the dust as possible; this is, 

 no doubt, the use of the great extensile lips. Although it is not 

 positively averse to meat, it seems never to kill large animals for 

 food, and its attacks on human beings, which are, unfortunately, not 

 at all uncommon, seem to be due to the animal having been disturbed, 

 or to sheer natural surliness. Although blessed with an excellent nose, 

 the Indian Bear is not keen-sighted, nor is its hearing very good ; 

 thus it is liable to find itself suddenly confronted by a man, and in 

 such cases strikes out savagely with its terrible claws, at the same time 

 frequently biting its victim. Indeed, Blanford, in his admirable work 

 on the Mammalia of British India, considers that there is more danger 

 from the Bear than from the Tiger, which is normally inoffensive to 

 man. As the Bear strikes at the face, the wounds inflicted are ghastly to 

 a degree, and the victim, even if he recovers, is permanently disfigured. 



She-bears with young are naturally most prone to attack, as they display 

 the strong attachment to the cubs so usual in the family. There are only 

 two cubs as a rule, usually born in the winter months, and, for some time 

 after they come abroad with her, the female carries them on her back, 

 clinging to the long hair. Naturally they are easy enough to tame when 

 taken young, and they have a better reputation for temper in captivity 

 than have Bears generally. 



Their very uncouthness makes them an interesting exhibit, and the 

 beast, known by its Mahratta name of Aswail, has long been one of the 

 most familiar denizens of travelling menageries. Except for sport and 

 on account of damage it may do, there is not much inducement to hunt 

 this Bear, but it is pretty eagerly pursued by those who have, not oppor- 

 tunities of going after nobler game. It is often captured in India and 

 trained to perform, much as the Brown Bear is in Europe, being led about 

 the streets to show off its acquirements to casual audiences. 



As all the other known Bears are black, it will be convenient to mention 

 them here, it being clearly understood that they do not possess any of 

 the Sloth-Bear's peculiarities in form, coat, teeth, or habits, but rather 

 agree in these points with the Brown Bear. 



