7878 



Quadrupeds. 



the length of his den, he very commonly backs the whole distance 

 to his original corner. 



During the last few years hopes have existed of young polar bears 

 being added to the list of novelties in the Gardens, but they were not 

 realized until the 5th of November, 1861. On that day the keepers 

 observed a renewal of the old family quarrel, and it was soon ascer- 

 tained that two young bears had been added to what I may call the 

 polar circle. Unfortunately, both little ones were dead, probably 

 killed by the mother, as one of them was much injured. These young 

 animals are each about thirteen inches long, and would have stood 

 nearly seven inches high, — miniature polar bears, well proportioned 

 and covered with a coat of fine white silky hair, except on the ears, 

 which are quite naked. The little things look like large white tail- 

 less rats. They are now stuffed, and will soon take up their quarters 

 on the shelves of the British Museum. 



In February, 1860, at an evening meeting of the Zoological Society, 

 Mr. Bartlett called attention to the size of some young hybrid black 

 and brown bears which had been produced in the Gardens on the last 

 day of the previous year. When born they were only as large as 

 rats, and their eyes did not open until they were about five weeks old, 

 when the young animals had attained the size of a common rabbit. It 

 has now been shown that the polar bear agrees with its congeners 

 in producing its young of a disproportionately small size. 



It is well known that bears bring forth during the period of hyber- 

 nation, and, at that time, are for a long interval without food. No 

 attempt at hybernating has hitherto been observed among the bears in 

 the Regent's Park; yet, as winter approaches, some of these animals 

 show failing appetites, and, if any young ones are produced, the 

 mother ceases for a time to feed. The polar bear ate nothing for a 

 week after her cubs were born. This curious fact shows us that the 

 absence of a desire for food is not wholly dependent on hybernation, 

 but is especially marked under those circumstances which make other 

 quadrupeds most ravenous. The period of gestation is seven months, 

 and union continues about two hours. 



The two polar bears in the Gardens daily consume from sixteen 

 to eighteen pounds of fish between them, and, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, winter sees no diminution in their appetites. Both animals 

 always appear very unwilling to enter the water, and rarely venture in 

 further than they can help ; possibly they have learnt the advantage 

 of dry clothes, and, moreover, that little is to be gained by a wetting 

 except at dinner time. 



