342 
IVILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA VS 
CHAP. 
flesh when they find the freshly killed body of an 
animal, but not seeking live creatures to kill and eat. 
The sloth bear of India is an exception to this rule, 
as it refuses flesh, and lives simply upon fruits, 
berries, leaves of certain trees, roots, and insects of 
all kinds, the favourite bonne bouche being the nest 
of white ants ( Termites), for which it will dig a large 
hole in the hardest soil to a depth of 2 or 3 feet. 
The molars of bears have a close resemblance to 
those of a human being, exhibiting a grinding sur¬ 
face for the mastication of all manner of substances. 
The nose is used as a snout, for turning over stones 
which lie upon the surface, in search of insects, slugs, 
worms, and other creatures, as nothing comes amiss 
to the appetite of a bear. 
The claws of the fore paws are three or four 
inches in length, and are useful implements for 
digging. It is astonishing to see the result upon soil 
that would require a pick-axe to excavate a hole. 
Upon the hard sides of such pits as those made in 
search of white ants, the claw-marks are deeply 
imprinted, showing the labour that has been 
expended for a most trifling prize, as the nest when 
found would only yield a few mouthfuls. I have 
never appreciated the name of “ sloth bear ” given to 
Ursus labiatus, as it is a creature that works hard 
for its food throughout the year, and being an 
inhabitant of the tropics, it never hybernates. This 
species is very active, and although it refuses flesh, 
it is one of the most mischievous of its kind, as it 
will frequently attack man without the slightest 
