Brown and Black Bears of the Himalayan Mountains. 435 



them between the jaws, rejecting the shells with great 

 nicety. In districts where food is procurable in abundance 

 it may be seen in undiminished numbers throughout the 

 winter. We have been frequently assured, however, that 

 the she-bears repair to dens soon after the first fall of 

 snow in December, and are rarely seen until the end of Feb- 

 ruary, when generally accompanied by one, sometimes two, 

 and rarely three cubs. It would appear, therefore, doubtful 

 if this species does hybernate ; at all events it is not an universal 

 habit. When come on unawares, especially if accompanied by 

 its cubs, it has been known to attack man and inflict severe 

 injuries. Like other species, the mode of attaok is by a rush 

 towards its opponent, then rearing on its hind legs fells him to 

 the ground with its paws. Sometimes it secures its victim, 

 and after a desperate hug or bite, scampers off into the nearest 

 jungle. We have frequently witnessed individuals when sud- 

 denly alarmed by the report of a gun, or otherwise, rush down 

 the steep, but as if not content with the rapidity of the stam- 

 pede, would coil themselves in the form of a ball, and bound 

 down the incline for several hundred yards ; if brought to a 

 standstill by a projection or shelf, they would spring to their 

 feet, and hastening to the edge of the declivity, once more 

 gather themselves into a round mass and roll to the bottom. 

 Towards the end of October, after this bear has fed on fruits 

 and grain, like its congener, it becomes very fat. The native 

 hunters state that the kidney fat is useless as an article of 

 commerce on account of being tainted with the smell of the 

 animal's urine. They accordingly preserve only the external 

 adipose on the loins and inside of the thighs. 



The fossil remains of bears found in the Upper Tertiary 

 formations and caves of Europe and America lead to the belief 

 that there at one time existed certain species either now 

 extinct or belonging to larger races than any now met with. 

 Moreover, the same may be said of several of their contem- 

 poraries belonging to such, as the hyaena, tiger, elephant, deer, 

 etc. j for instance, the great cavern bear, the cave tiger, the 

 mammoth, and Irish elk. Comparing the dimensions of living* 

 and extinct bears, it seems that the great cavern bear and the 

 species or race of the brown or fen bears, that infested Europe 

 even in the early historic times, approach nearest in size, 

 whereas there is a greater difference in respect to the relative' 

 dimensions of the largest individuals of the existent brown 

 bear and the fen bear of England, showing that the large indi- 

 viduals have died out, or that the race has greatly deteriorated. 

 We believe, however, that among the present denizens of 

 northern Asia and the Isabella bear of the Himalayan, speci- 

 mens can be procured equal in size at least to the largest 



VOL. VII. — NO. VI. E p 



