. Animals in menageries. pleness of joint, ipthrowing itself into manyand very antic favourite position, how-ever, is that here representedby Mr. Landseer — sittingon its haunches, and thrusting out its long narrowtongue to a very extraordinary length. It eats abouttwo pounds of bread and milk a day. In size, this is the smallest of the Indian bears,measuring only three feet eight inches from the nose tothe root of the tail, which is remarkably short. Itscolour is jet black in every part, except the muzzle,which is grey: the semilunar mark, so conspicuous onthe breast, is variable
. Animals in menageries. pleness of joint, ipthrowing itself into manyand very antic favourite position, how-ever, is that here representedby Mr. Landseer — sittingon its haunches, and thrusting out its long narrowtongue to a very extraordinary length. It eats abouttwo pounds of bread and milk a day. In size, this is the smallest of the Indian bears,measuring only three feet eight inches from the nose tothe root of the tail, which is remarkably short. Itscolour is jet black in every part, except the muzzle,which is grey: the semilunar mark, so conspicuous onthe breast, is variable in colour; in a specimen at theIndia House it is white, but M. Duvaucel describes itas red; and that in the Tower is stated to be ^ yellowwith a tinge of red; its form is more constant, andresembles that of a horseshoe. The whole of the furis short, fine, and glossy, lying close over the body aswell as on the head. In its figure it stands lower, butis a stouter and a better proportioned animal than thecommon bear. F 3. ANI3IALS IN 3IENAGERIES. The Thick-lipped Bear. Ursus labiatus, Blainville. Bradypus ursinus, Shaw. Prochi-lus ursinus, Illiger. Melursus, Mci/er. In the year 1790, an old individual of thisspecies_, which had lost its cutting teeth, was exhibitedin England, and although called a bear, was pro-nounced by the scientific of those days to be a sloth :it was accordingly described and figured by Dr. Shawunder the name of Bradypus ursinus, or ursiform sloth ;and the learned Ilhger, deceived by this imperfect ac-count of our countrymen, formed upon it his genusProchilus. This individual seems to have been thefirst that had ever reached Europe. The species, how-ever, has more lately become better known, and is foundto be a genuine bear, although possessing certain traitsof habit, which may in some degree account for thewant of tact in its first describer of recognising its truestation in nature. Mr. Buchanan Hamilton, in hisIndian travels, published in 1807, was the f
Size: 1441px × 1733px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorrichmondch, bookcentury1800, booksubjectanimalbehavior
