IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 97 



its new surroundings, and begins to look out for food at the appointed 

 hours ; it should then be gradually encouraged to come out and climb 

 the tree or the bamboo clump, taking care always to shut it in before 

 darkness comes on. The animal will soon learn to come down of its own 

 accord at the proper time. 



There is some drawback to this method of keeping animals in a 

 place much frequented by visitors, and the spot selected should therefore 

 be as retired as possible. Another method suggested is to tie it up to 

 a beer barrel with a chain and allow it to roam about ; this has never 

 been tried. 



Food. — It eats plantains, dates, bread, milk, bamboo leaves and 

 sprouts,, grass, eggs, and small birds, such as sparrows. The specimen 

 that lived in the garden for about twenty months fed mostly upon 

 bread and milk, and as it almost invariably passed the day in a bamboo 

 clump, it consumed a good deal of its leaves and sprouts. 



Transport. — A cat-bear is an extremely delicate animal and cannot 

 endure heat ; it should not, therefore, be brought down from the 

 hills except during the winter, even for the purpose of sending it away 

 to some other congenial climate. Its journey in the plains should be 

 so arranged as to be performed by night and early morning. A light 

 cage with bamboo or round wooden sticks on all sides should be pro- 

 vided ; a plank box will suffocate it. For a sea voyage it may be placed 

 in the ice-house of the steamer while passing the warmer latitudes. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Cat-bears have been known to die from convulsions. 



Observations on the habits of a Oat-bear. 



In captivity a cat-bear is placid and inoffensive, and becomes 

 within a short time tame and docile. Its movements are awkward and 

 slow on the ground, but it is an excellent climber. One of the speci- 

 mens that lived in the garden has sometimes been observed to sleep 

 on the bamboo clump in the angle formed by the crossing of bamboos. 

 This animal held its food — bread, plantains, or even eggs — in its fore- 

 paws. It was never observed to drink milk by inserting its lips, but 

 always by lapping very gently and quietly. In captivity it is generally 

 a very silent animal ; but when angry or otherwise irritated it utters a 

 " sharp spitting hiss." 



For further particulars on the habits of cat-bears the following 

 books may be consulted: — Mammals of India — Jerdon; Fauna of 

 British India — Blanford; Proceedings, Zoological Society, London^ 

 1870, "on the habits of cat-bears," by Bartlett. 



(105) THE POLAE BEAE. 



(UESUS MARITIMUS— Linn) 



It is distinguished from all other species by its perfectly white 

 colour. 



Hah. — Polar regions, 



G 



