Brown and Black Bears of the Himalayan Mountains. 431 



fined ; it abounds on all the high ranges forming the water- 

 sheds of the great rivers of Hindoostan, and is essentially 

 Alpine in habits, whatever it may have been in bygone times ; 

 at present it is seldom found under 8000 to 10,000 feet above 

 the level of the sea. Like its European congener it is fast dis- 

 appearing before the march of civilization. Nowhere was the 

 animal more abundant, until late years, than among the snow- 

 covered peaks and upland valleys of the Northern Cashmere 

 ranges. In the Vale of Wurdwun as many as thirty were 

 killed during the spring of 1851 by one hunter; and in the 

 same neighbourhood, two years subsequently, we procured 

 upwards of twenty in a few weeks. The native name of the 

 bear is Beech, not Bitch, as frequently written ; it is also called 

 the Harput, and Bain, names by which the black bear is 

 also known. The Isabella bear swims with ease, and has been 

 known to cross many of the most rapid mountain streams. In 

 spring, after issuing from its winter retreat, its food consists 

 mainly of grass, green pine-cones, the tender shoots of divers 

 sorts of wild rhubarb, and umbelliferous plants then just 

 appearing above ground ; but as the season advances, it grows 

 more dainty, feeding on the root of the wild strawberry, and a 

 small white carrot, which it digs up with its snout and paws. 

 At first, when food is scarce, it has been often known to attack 

 sheep, goats, even cattle and ponies; we have frequently 

 watched individuals prowling in the neighbourhood of a flock 

 of sheep, in spite of the loud clamours of the herdsmen, 

 who informed us that additional shepherds were necessary 

 to protect the herds in the spring season, in consequence 

 of the bears and wild dogs being then more predatory 

 than at other times. It is fond of crunching whatever stray 

 bones may happen to come in the way; we have seen an 

 Isabella bear gnawing the tops of the cast antlers of a deer, 

 and often noticed antlers similarly mutilated lying about in the 

 forests of Cashmere. Major Young, 37th Regiment, an 

 indefatigable and experienced Himalayan hunter, informed us 

 tha.t he killed an Isabella bear devouring a hind of the Cash- 

 mere deer (Cervus Wallichii) , which in all probability it sur- 

 prised when bringing forth young, as a newly-born fawn was 

 lying by the mother's side. It has been known to devour the 

 carcase of its own species, and the bodies of ibex, musk-deer,- 

 etc., engulphed in avalanches are greedily sought after when 

 the snow melts in spring, and the devastating epidemics among 

 cattle, brought on from starvation and severe winters, furnish 

 it with abundance of animal food at a time when 'its system 

 requires support. The winter's coat is shed about midsummer, 

 when the old hair and under wool, called peshmena, hang in 

 matted masses on its sides. The bear's peshmena is not at- 



