100 
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
creatures ; the claws are destitute of retractility, blunt 
at the edges, and calculated more for climbing trees 
and burrowing in the earth than for the purposes of 
prehension or destruction ; and all the other organs 
are in a like manner modified in conformity with the 
change of character of which these differences form the 
certain indications. We look in vain among the Bears 
for the sleekness and agility of the Cats, the swiftness 
and intelligence of the Dogs, or the insinuating slender- 
ness of the Weasels ; but in the place of all these we 
find great clumsiness of form combined with a high 
degree of brute force, much intellectual stupidity, and 
an insatiable and gluttonous voracity. 
The incisor teeth of the Bears, six in number in each 
jaw, afford the only means which they possess of lace- 
rating animal food ; and for this purpose they are but 
ill calculated. The two outer of the upper jaw are 
strong, pointed, and placed somewhat obliquely with 
respect to the others, the cutting edges of which have 
also a tendency to become pointed. In the under jaw 
the two outer are broader than the rest, and have each 
a lateral lobe at their base externally ; the second on 
either side is placed more internally with respect to the 
mouth ; and the intermediate ones are the smallest of 
the series. The canines of both jaws are strong, conical, 
and incurved. In the number of the cheek-teeth there 
is some variation, dependent chiefly upon age ; but the 
most usual amount appears to be five in the upper jaw 
and six in the lower. Of these three in the upper and 
four in the lower may be regarded as true molars, 
and are universally found ; the others, which are small 
und conical, seldom remain permanently fixed in their 
sockets, but fall out as the animal advances in age. It 
is most common in young Bears to find two of these in 
each jaw, one placed at the base of the canine, and the 
