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THE LABIATED BEAR.

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tive, and perhaps be inclined to receive with incredulity our assertion, that their curiosity, with respect to this singular animal, still remains to be gratified.

But the fact is, that the animal, which is exhibited as the sloth in the travelling menageries, is the bear now under consideration; and we are not aware that either of the true species of sloth, which are peculiar to South America, has hitherto been brought alive to this country.

It is further remarkable, that the mistake of calling this species of bear a sloth, did not originate with an ignorant showman, whose interest it might be to deceive, but was committed by a scientific naturalist, who, however, in his examination of this animal, appears to have been guided by the letter, rather than inspired by the spirit of his great master Linnæus. In the Naturalist's Miscellany, vol. ii., Dr. Shaw observes, "In its habit or general appearance it has a striking resemblance to the common bear; and it has even been considered a species of bear by some naturalists. Its teeth, however, and the peculiar formation of its claws, with several other particulars, absolutely forbid it to be any longer considered as a species of Ursus." In what consists the peculiar formation of the claws, Dr. Shaw does not inform us, neither does he say more about the other particulars; but finding no trace of incisors, he referred his new animal to the order Bruta, in utter disregard of every other character save that which corresponded to the Linnæan phrase, "dentes primores nulli utrinque" (primary teeth none in either jaw). From the length of its claws, which, however, in this respect do not differ from those of many other species of bear; and probably also from the nature of its covering, and comparatively naked face, it was arranged with the genus of sloths, and entered in the Systematic Catalogue under the name of Bradypus ursinus,-the ursine, or ursiform sloth.

This new addition to one of the most remarkable genera of quadrupeds, soon attracted the attention of the continental naturalists; and although the false character with which our species had been invested, probably prevented the amount of its affinities to the bear being appreciated, yet the necessity of dissociating it from the sloths was soon perceived. It was accordingly at first supposed to be a new genus of quadrupeds, and was called Prochilus, from a Greek word signifying long-lipped;' but soon afterwards was recognised as a true bear.

In size this species is about the eighth part smaller than the Alpine bear; when young, and before the hairs have acquired their extreme length, it is seen to stand rather high upon its

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THE LABIATED BEAR.

legs, and its form is lighter than in after-life. Its motions are then agile, and it cannot easily be overtaken, even when pursued by a horseman at full speed. Its colour is a deep shining black, relieved by a white mark on the chest, shaped like a chevron or horse-shoe, the two branches of which extend over the arms. The muzzle and extremities of the feet are of a yellowish white colour.

The feet are armed with long, crooked, white claws, with which it is said to burrow in the ground: they are doubtless of considerable use in enabling it to dislodge the ants, which form part of its food, and to get at the stores of bees, which also contribute to form the diet of this creature in a state of nature. Bewick informs us that it will eat marrow or the fat of meat either raw or dressed; but refuses roots of all kinds, and the lean and muscular parts of flesh.

Its disposition is gentle and docile: it is taught similar exercises to those which the brown bear is made to learn; and it is exhibited in the same way by the jugglers of Hindostan, as the latter species is by the wandering Savoyards in Europe. A very good notion of the peculiarities of the labiated bear may be derived from a glance at the synonyms that have been unmercifully heaped upon it by modern naturalists, as, for example

Bradypus ursinus, Shaw.

ursiformis, Pennant.

Prochilus hirsutus, Iliger.

Melursus hirsutus, Meyer.

Chondrorhynchus hirsutus, Fischer.

Ursus labiatus, Blainville.

longirostris, Tiedemann.

Prochilus labiatus, Gray.

And we are not sure whether some of our naturalists may not consider it as appertaining to Dr. Horsfield's new subgenus, and therefore as having a claim to the appellation of Helarctos labiata, unless Iliger's generic title of Prochilus be extended over all the tropical Sun-bears.

With respect to the animals included under the latter name, we may observe that they bear a close affinity with our present species. They have all long compressed claws, extensible lips and tongue, and are marked with the white spot on the throat; but they are smaller than the labiated bear, and are covered with short close-set hair. They are all gentle in their habits, and purely vegetable feeders. The Malayan species is peculiarly fond of the young protruding summits of the cocoa-nut trees, which always become its prize when the natives change their residence. In one of his excursions

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through the Passumah district of Sumatra, Sir Stamford Raffles found the cocoa-nut trees of deserted villages destroyed by the Malayan bears.

In his description of the animals of Sumatra, this distinguished philosopher observes, "The Malayan bear deserves to be ranked as a distinct species from the common bear, and from that of the continent of India. The most striking difference is in the comparative shortness of its hair, and the fineness and glossiness of its fur; in which particular it appears to resemble the American bear.

"When taken young they become very tame. One lived for two years in my possession. He was brought up in the nursery with the children; and when admitted to table, as was frequently the case, gave a proof of his taste by refusing to eat any fruit but mangosteens, or to drink any wine but champaign. The only time I ever knew him out of humour was on an occasion when no champaign was forthcoming. It was naturally of a playful and affectionate disposition, and it was never found necessary to chain or chastise him. It was usual for this bear, the cat, the dog, and a small blue mountain bird, or lory, of New Holland, to mess together and eat out of the same dish. His favourite playfellow was the dog, whose teasing and worrying was always borne and returned with the utmost good humour and playfulness. As he grew up he became a very powerful animal; and in his rambles in the garden he would lay hold of the largest plantains, the stems of which he could scarcely embrace, and tear them up by the roots."-Linn. Trans. xiii. p. 255.

USEFUL RAT.

On the farm of Lyonthoin, near Falkirk, there is a remarkable instance not only of docility but usefulness in a rat. It first devoured the mice caught in traps, and was afterwards seen to catch them as they ventured from their holes, till at length the whole house was cleared of these vermin, except, as is believed, a single one. It has frequently been seen in pursuit of this solitary mouse, and the little fugitive, which takes refuge behind the ingle, has a part of its fur singed off. From the service it renders, the family kindly protect the rat, and it runs about and gambols among them on the floor, without the least uneasiness.

SINGULAR AUDACITY OF A FISH.

In most classes of animals, even in those of the most timid disposition, instances of remarkable courage have occasionally been observed and recorded. It is rarely, however, that fish of diminutive size have been found bold enough to repel the attacks of man, much less to become the aggressor, as in the following instance, related by the highly talented naturalists who accompanied Captain Freycinet in his late voyage round the world.

"It happened one day, while we were wading in calm water among the coral reefs at the Island of Guam, in search of molluscous animals, that we were assailed by a small chetodon, butting against us with the end of its snout, as if to defend the approach to the rock under which it lodged, with many others of the same kind. We stretched out our hands towards it, against which it precipitated itself in the same manner. In order to drive it away we struck it several times, which made it retreat, but without alarming it, for it returned again to the charge. At last it disappeared suddenly in a hole formed by the corals.

"This species was scarcely larger than one's hand; its colours, though brown, were however agreeable. We call the species bellicosus."- Quoy & Gaimard, Zoologie du Voyage, p. 383.

ANIMALS AND BIRDS ON THE PLAINS OF CAMDEBOO.

TRAVELLING Over the Karoo plains of Camdeboo, Barrow thus describes the various animals and birds he met with. He says:

Naked on the surface appeared to be game of every sort even very plentiful, particularly spring-boks and the larger kinds of antelopes. Upon those parched plains are also found several species of a small quadruped which burrows in the ground, and which is known to the colonists under the general name of meer-cat. They are mostly of that genus of animals to which zoologists have given the name of Viverra. An eagle, making a stoop at one of these, close where we were passing, missed his prey; and both fell a sacrifice, one to the gun, the other to the dogs. Both the bird and the quadruped appeared to us to be undescribed species. Of the eagle, the head, neck, back and abdomen, were of a pale ferruginous brown; wings and tail steel-blue, the latter faintly barred with small bands from the root to the middle; the

ANIMALS AND BIRDS ON THE PLAINS OF CAMDEBOO.

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cera pale yellow; the beak and nails black; the feet entirely covered with downy feathers; length two feet two inches. The viverra was wholly of a bright chestnut colour; the tail shaded with black hairs, bushy, straight, and white at the extremity; ears short and round; on the fore feet five, and the hind feet four toes; the body and tail each one foot long. Others of this genus are the muskiliatte cat, or zenik of the Systema Natura; the tigrina, or tiger cat; the mellivora, or ratel; and the cafra. In general these animals are easily domesticated. One species however it is very difficult, if not impossible, to render tame. It resembles the putorius or polecat of America, with this difference only, that the latter has five parallel white lines along the back, and the African species only four that diverge from the shoulder. When first taken they smell very strongly of musk, which, however, shortly wears off by confinement. There is also found in this part of the country a beautiful little ground-squirrel, with a white stripe on each side from the shoulder to the flank; the body a dark chestnut colour, about eight inches in length; tail ten inches, grizzled, black, brown, and white.

That elegant bird the Balearic Crane, Grus pavonina, was first met with near the Melk River; and Guinea fowls were very abundant near every streamlet. Bee-eaters, Merops apiaster, with their beautiful plumage, and Certhias or creepers with colours still more brilliant, were fluttering about in vast numbers among the Mimosa of the Sunday River, where are also many beautiful species both of kingsfishers and woodpeckers. The modest garb of the Colii, of which I met with three species, formed a striking contrast with the gaudy plumage of the others. There are several species of Swallows in the Cape, all migratory. One in particular, with a red spotted breast, frequents the habitations of man, where it builds its nest. In many of the farm-houses are small shelves nailed against the beams, expressly for the swallows; and I have heard it asserted very commonly, that the same birds return to their places for many years, and generally on the very same day which, if true, is a striking instance to prove that nature is not more constant in the organization of the machine than in the effects that are intended to result from it.

The Sunday River was nearly dry, which gave our people an opportunity of taking plenty of turtle with great ease. These, when full grown, are generally in size about a foot in diameter; the females are exceedingly prolific in eggs, and the flesh is by no means wanting in flavour. The river abounds also with short thick eels that are very delicious.Barrow's Africa, vol. i. p. 187.

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