104 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



Congestion of the liver has been known to cause death of these 

 bears : an animal lately succumbed to general debility and exhaustion 

 caused by hepatic disorders. The only symptoms being constipation 

 and want of appetite ; an attempt was made to give it castor oil in milk, 

 but it could- not be induced to take or touch anything. On examining 

 the body after death the liver was found to be enlarged, the gall bladder 

 full of bile as black as ink, and the surface of the liver deeply coloured 

 with bile pigments. This animal when alive was extremely lazy. 



Observations on the habits of Himalayan Beaes. 

 The experience gained in the management of these bears in 

 captivity does not support the belief that they are more savage than 

 brown bears ; it may be so in their wild state, but the case is certainly 

 otherwise in captivity. The temper of bears can never be trusted, 

 whether it be a black or brown bear. Although heavy in their 

 movements, the young Himalayan bears are generally very active 

 creatures, and extremely fond of, and expert in, mounting a tree. It 

 is surprising with what ease and facility even a large and unwieldy 

 beast sometimes climbs a tree or the bars of its cage. The large black 

 bear in the collection is gradually becoming old, but three or four 

 years ago it used at times to climb the bars of its cage and amuse 

 itself by, pulling down the straw from the projecting eave of the roof 

 and breaking the ornamental fringes bordering it. It may still be 

 seen walking round and round the narrow ledge of the wall of its 

 pit, and it is astonishing how such a huge animal, which appears to 

 move with difficulty owing to the great weight of its body, can walk 

 and even turn round in a place where a man can hardly stand. The 

 thickness and bulk of this beast are most apparent as he sits, human 

 like, lolling against the side of the cage, one of the hind limbs drawn up and 

 the corresponding forelimb resting upon it. It has been observed to be 

 rather a common habit with animals in captivity that when they once 

 become habituated to a particular place and mode of life they stoutly 

 object to a change. This large bear is one of such animals. It having 

 become necessary on one occasion to remove it to another part of the 

 garden, a strong roomy cage was placed against the door of its house, 

 and arrangements were made for its removal, but every attempt to 

 induce it to enter the cage was frustrated. Although the animal had 

 been starving for three or four days and was hungry and uncomfortable, 

 it showed such dogged obstinacy that it became necessary to abandon 

 the attempt. Himalayan black bears are seldom noisy, and they have 

 never been observed to suck up their food like the brown or sloth bears. 

 The habit of sucking the ear of a companion, or the animal's own 

 limb, is not uncommon among creatures of this species. 



(109) THE BLACK BEAE. 

 (UESUS AMEEICANUS— Pall.) 

 The American black bear is a smaller animal than either the 

 Himalayan black or the grizzly bears. An adult animal seldom exceeds 

 5 feet from the tip of the nose to the tail. The specimen living 

 in the collection is about 4 feet in length and is uniformly black 

 throughout, the nose and a portion above it is brown or greyish brown ; 



