PRICES OF ANIMALS. 289 
Family Procyonipm. 
Raccoons, Procyon, and Coatis, Nasua, are regularly imported 
from America, and seem to command a steady sale in Europe 
both to public menageries and to private fanciers at from £1 to 
£2 a head. 
The Kinkajou, Potos flavus (or Cercoleptes caudivolvulus) is, 
however, deservedly a greater favourite: I have seen it quoted at 
£3, but £5 is more like its vaiue, and some individuals are 
certainly worth even more. 
Family Ursipe. 
For our present purposes Bears may be divided into Polar 
Bears and other Bears. 
Of Polar Bears I have no personal experience; I have been 
offered (and declined) them at the following prices: £25, £35, 
£40, £42 10s., and £50. 
The other Bears, usually imported to Europe, fetch very 
small prices. Unless the supply very much exceeds the demand, 
I cannot understand this: for they are as a rule hardy beasts in 
captivity, easy and very cheap to feed, and often great favourites 
both with their keepers and the public visitors. One factor that 
may perhaps keep down the dealer’s prices is that many people, 
in India and elsewhere, obtain Bear-cubs as pets, and later, 
when the young Bear begins to get too masterful for a private 
household, the owners are only too willing to present their pet 
to some public Zoological Garden. Personally, in the last ten 
years I have had twelve Bears in my charge, and only one was 
purchased, and that only for £4! 
Bears, of various species, appear to be very subject to blind- 
ness in captivity: blind Bears appear on dealers’ price lists at 
£2 10s. and upwards: one would imagine that their skins and 
flesh were worth more. 
The Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, is generally offered for sale at 
from £5 to £8 per animal, but I have noted £10 asked for a 
female and £11 for a male. 
The Malay Bear, U. malayanus, is often offered for £5, but 
may go up to as much as £12 or £13. 
The Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus, is of rather greater value; 
