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A CHAT ABOUT INDIAN WILD BEASTS. 163 
Tae Hontine Curran (Cynelurus jubatus). 
This is found here and there in India, but is unknown in 
Ceylon. Itis most common in Hastern Africa, more so than in 
India. They are more plentiful in Oude and Upper India than 
in Southern India; and I never saw but one, and that I was 
lucky enough to shoot, in the wild state. It is not found in 
Assam or Burma. I have seen many in captivity. We had a 
couple when I wasa child. They are largely used by native rajahs 
and other personages to pull down wild Antelope, but it 1s not 
an exciting sport. When slipped from the cart, in which he is 
carried as near to a herd of Antelope as possible without frighten- 
ing them off, he first cautiously walks towards his quarry, and 
with bristles erect. When the Antelopes perceive him, and he is 
within one hundred or even one hundred and fifty yards of them, 
he rushes at them with incredible speed, and if he overtakes one, 
as he generally does, within that distance, he fastens on its throat. 
If he fails to reach within that space, his wind being exhausted, 
he desists, and walks about in a towering rage, but soon allows 
his attendants to blindfold him, and to put him back on the cart. 
If he kills, the shikarie fills a saucer full of blood, and whilst the 
Leopard is lapping it up, he is hooded and led back. His call 
is a bleat-like mew. If taken as cubs, the natives assert they 
are useless for the chase. Only the adult ones who have been 
trained by their parents to hunt are of any use in a domesti- 
cated state. I never heard of their breeding in confinement 
in India; but I believe an instance or two has occurred in 
the large zoological establishments on the continent. None 
have bred in our “Zoo.”” The young, when born, are covered 
with soft brown hair, without spots, which is curious, as even 
the young of the Lion and Puma are distinctly marked with 
spots, which disappear in time. It is capable of domestication ; 
Dr. Jerdon, the naturalist, had one that followed him about lke 
a Dog, and was always sportive and frolicsome. Chitahs in a 
wild state, if wounded, will turn to bay and fight to the death. 
Bears (Ursus tibetanus and U. labiatus). 
Of the Bears of India, the Isabelline, or Brown Bear, of 
the Himalayas (Ursus tibetanus), which is allied to the Syrian 
Bears, is found in the Terai along the foot of the Bhootan 
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