{ 34 ) 
Period of gestation .—Between six and seven months. The yoitng are bom 
usually in December or January, are generally two in number, and are blind for 
the first three weeks. 
Description .—Long and coarse black hair, longest between the shoulders. 
Muzzle dirty grey ; a narrow white horse-shoe mark on the chest. Claws white. 
It is found solitary or in pairs, or a female with two cubs. It inhabits bush and 
forest jungles and hills ; is particularly partial to caves ; is nocturnal in its 
habits and does not hibernate. It is a clumsy climber and slow in its move¬ 
ments. It feeds almost entirely on fruit, honey and insects, especially white 
ants. It has great powers of suction and wind propelling from the mouth 
which enable it to procure the larvae and ants, of which it is particularly 
fond. It is also partial to the juice of the toddy palm and is on rare occa¬ 
sions found in a state of intoxication. It has bad eyesight and its hearing 
is by no means good, but its sense of smell is acute. It is tolerably 
silent as a rule, but is extremely noisy when wounded. It is timid, but at 
bay will attack with teeth and claws, paying special attention to the head 
and face of its foe. 
Measurements —Head and body, from 4 ft. 6 ins. to 5 ft. 8 ins.; tail, 4 to 
5 ins. without hair ; height at shoulder, 2 ft. 2 ins. to 2 ft. 9 ins. ; weight, from 
170 lbs. to nearly 800 lbs. 
* 
