THE BEAK. 
389 
—namely, twelve incisors or cutting-teeth, 
of which two or three are occasionally miss¬ 
ing, two canine teeth above and below, and 
twelve molars in the upper jaw and fourteen 
in the lower, which seem to be better adapted 
to a fruit than to a flesh diet. They have 
five toes on each foot, armed with strong 
and sharp claws, which are more or less 
non-retractile and fitted for climbing and 
digging. All the limbs are strongly made, 
and they stand comparatively high on 
their feet. The ears are well proportioned, 
the eyes rather small; the tail is very short 
or almost entirely wanting, and the fur 
thick, long and usually handsome. In 
wintry regions bears usually hibernate; 
that is, they retire to safe retreats, either 
under the snow, in hollow trees, or in lairs 
constructed of houghs of trees and moss, 
where they pass the winter months, with¬ 
out food or drink, in a state of apparent tor¬ 
pidity. They are said to be extremely fat 
when they emerge from their retreats, but 
become greatly emaciated immediately after¬ 
wards. It is also said that when hears are un¬ 
able to hibernate they are subject to tempo¬ 
rary blindness; and this was the case with a 
