Brown and Black Bears of the Himalayan Mountains. 438 



retired places. This is an important fact, to be kept in view 

 by geologists in connection with the cave remains of the large 

 extinct quadrupeds. As to the boldness and ferocity of this 

 bear, it may be remarked, that it seldom ever stands on the 

 defensive ; we have often seen natives approach wounded indi- 

 viduals, and beat them with sticks, whilst all Bruin attempted 

 was to turn his hinder quarters towards his assailant, and moan 

 most lustily ; like its congeners, however, it is very tenacious 

 of life, and unless wounded in a vital spot, is almost certain to 

 make its escape. The power of vision of the bear is by no 

 means strong, especially in spring, after it has left its den ; at 

 that season, provided the wind is favourable, an expert hunter 

 may get within a few yards ; we have actually walked up to 

 a bear and stood before it as the animal continued to browse 

 upon the tender shoots of plants, quite unconscious of our 

 presence, This defect is not the result of stupidity, for when 

 the animal scents man, all its energies are instantly called into 

 play. On examining the eyes of several killed in spring, we 

 have often noticed a hazy condition of the cornea, which was 

 especially remarked in those reared by natives. This opacity 

 may be the result of disease of the organ during hybernation, 

 or perhaps the animal is subject to ophthalmia in the wild state, 

 •as is frequently the case in domesticated bears. We have 

 been often astonished in witnessing the extreme acuteness of 

 its power of smell, even at the distance of a mile : when the 

 wind is favourable an individual may be often observed to start 

 suddenly as if alarmed by some unfriendly sound or object, 

 and in a wild and excited manner rush about with its head 

 raised snuffing the wind, until satisfied by repeated trials that 

 all was not right, when, turning tail, it scampers off at a rate 

 few observers would credit who have only seen the inmates of 

 a zoological garden. 



The Thibet, Malayan, and Bornean bears represent the genus 

 Helarctos, or Sun bears. The first (Ursits Tibetanus) is a 

 native of the lower Himalayan ranges, decreasing as we 

 ascend, and disappearing entirely with the forest region. The 

 geographical distribution of this species has not been clearly 

 fixed, and it is unfortunate that Thibet should have been, 

 selected as its habitat, inasmuch as neither that elevated 

 region, nor Ladakh, are frequented by the animal. The Thibet 

 bear is said to be found in Persia, AfFghanistan, and Northern 

 China, but we are not aware that it has been traced with any 

 degree of accuracy eastward of Nepaul, or westward of the 

 Indus. The white mark on the front of the chest, more or less 

 apparent in almost every species, 'but particularly so in that 

 under consideration, is shaped like the letter Y, the two legs 

 proceeding a short distance up the side of the shoulder. The 



