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BEAR

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Originally appearing in Volume V03, Page 575 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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BEAR , properly the name of the See also:

European See also:brown bear (Ursus arctus), but extended to include all the members of the Ursidae, the typical See also:family of Arctoid See also:carnivora, distinguished by theit massive bodies, See also:short limbs, and almost rudimentary tails, With the single exception of the See also:Indian See also:sloth-bear, all the See also:species have See also:forty-two See also:teeth, of which the incisors and canines closely resemble those of purely carnivorous mammals; while the molars, and especially the one known as the " sectorial " or carnassial," have their surfaces tuberculated so as to adapt them for grinding See also:vegetable substances. As might have been supposed from their dentition, the bears are omnivorous; but most prefer vegetable See also:food, including See also:honey, when a sufficient 574 See also:supply of this can be had. The grizzly bear, however, is chiefly carnivorous; while the polar bear is almost wholly so. Bears are five-toed, and provided with formidable claws, which are not retractile, and thus better fitted for digging and climbing than for tearing. Most climb trees in a slow, lumbering See also:fashion, and, in descending, always come See also:hind-quarters first. The grizzly bear is said to lose this See also:power of climbing in the adult See also:stage. In See also:northern countries bears retire during the See also:winter into caves and the hollows of trees, or allow the falling See also:snow to See also:cover them, and there remain dormant till the See also:advent of See also:spring, about which See also:time the See also:female usually produces her See also:young. These are See also:born naked and See also:blind, and it is commonly five See also:weeks before they see, or become covered with See also:hair. Before hibernating the adults grow very See also:fat, and it is by the See also:gradual See also:consumption of this fat—known in See also:commerce as bear's grease—that such vital See also:action as is necessary to the continuance of See also:life is sustained. The bear family is widely distributed, being found in every See also:quarter of the globe except See also:Australia, and in all climates, from the highest northern latitudes yet reached by See also:man to the warm regions of See also:India and Malaya. In the See also:north-See also:west corner of See also:Africa the single representative of the family found on that See also:continent occurs. The polar or See also:white bear (Ursus maritimus), See also:common to the See also:Arctic regions of both hemispheres, is distinguished from the other species by having the soles of the feet covered with See also:close-set hairs, in See also:adaptation to the wants of the creature, the bear being thereby enabled to walk securely on slippery See also:ice.

In the whiteness of its See also:

fur also, it shows such an assimilation in See also:colour to that of surrounding nature as must be of considerable service in concealing it from its See also:prey. The food of the white bear consists chiefly of See also:seals and See also:fish, in pursuit of which it shows See also:great power of See also:swimming and diving, and a considerable degree of sagacity; but its food also includes the carcases of whales, birds and their eggs, and grass and berries when these can he had. That it can sustain life on a purely vegetable See also:diet is proved by instances on See also:record of its being fed for years on See also:bread only, in confinement. These bears are strong swimmers, See also:Sir See also:Edward See also:Sabine having found one " swimming powerfully 40 M. from the nearest See also:shore, and with no ice in sight to afford it See also:rest." They are often carried on floating ice to great distances, and to more See also:southern latitudes than their own, no fewer than twelve Polar bears having been known to reach See also:Iceland in this way during one winter. The female always hibernates, but the male may be seen abroad at all seasons. In bulk the white bear exceeds most other members of the family, measuring nearly 9 ft. in length, and often weighing 1600 lb. See also:Land bears have the soles of the feet destitute of hair, and their fur more or less shaggy. On these the brown bear (Ursus arctus,—aprcros of See also:Aristotle) is found in one or other of its varieties all over the temperate and north temperate regions of the eastern hemisphere, from See also:Spain to See also:Japan. The fur is usually brownish, but there are See also:black, blackish-See also:grey and yellowish varieties. It is a solitary See also:animal, frequenting the wooded parts of the regions it inhabits, and living on a mixed diet of fruits, vegetable, honey, fish and the smaller animals. In winter it hibernates, concealing itself in some hollow or cavern. It does not seek to attack man; but when baited, or in See also:defence of its young, shows great courage and strength, rising on its hind legs and endeavouring to grasp its antagonist in an embrace.

Bear-baiting, till within comparatively See also:

recent times, was a favourite See also:sport throughout See also:Europe, but, along with See also:cock-fighting and See also:badger-baiting, has gradually disappeared before a more humane See also:civilization. It was a favourite pastime among the See also:Romans, who imported their bears from See also:Britain, a See also:proof that the animal was then comparatively abundant in that See also:country; indeed, from reference made to it in See also:early Scottish See also:history, the bear does not appear to have been extirpated in Britain before the end of the 1th See also:century. It is now found in greatest abundance in See also:Norway, See also:Russia and See also:Siberia, where See also:hunting the bear is a favourite sport, and where, when dead, its remains are highly valued. Among the Kamchadales " the skin of the bear," says a traveller," forms their beds and their coverlets, bonnets for their heads, gloves for their hands and collars for their See also:dogs. The flesh and fat are their dainties. Of the intestines they make masks or covers for their faces, to protect them from the glare of the See also:sun in the spring, and use them as a substitute for See also:glass, by extending them over their windows. Even the See also:shoulder-See also:blades are said to be put in requisition for cutting grass." In confinement the brown bear is readily tamed; and See also:advantage has been taken of the facility with which it can sustain itself on the hind feet to See also:teach it to See also:dance to the See also:sound of See also:music. It See also:measures 4 ft. in length, and is about 21 ft. high. Of this species See also:Crowther's bear from the See also:Atlas Mountains, the Syrian bear (Ursus arctus pyriacus) and the snow or isabelline bear (Ursus arctus isabellinus) of the See also:Himalaya are See also:local races, or at most subspecies.' See also:American naturalists regard the big brown bears of See also:Alaska as a distinct See also:group. They range from See also:Sitka to the extremity of the Alaskan See also:Peninsula, over Kodiak See also:Island, and inland. Their distinctive See also:external features are their large See also:size, See also:light-brown colour, high shoulders, massive heads of great breadth and shaggy coat. The grizzly bear (Ursus arctus horribilis, formerly known as U. ferox) is regarded by some naturalists as a distinct species and by others as a variety of the brown bear, to which it is closely allied.

It was said to exceed all other American mammals in ferocity of disposition and See also:

muscular strength. Stories were told of its attacking the bison, and it has been reported to carry off the carcase of a wapiti, weighing nearly moo lb, for a considerable distance to its den, there to devour it at leisure. It also eats See also:fruit and vegetables. Its fur is usually of a yellowish-brown colour, coarse and grizzled, and of little value commercially, while its flesh, unlike that of other bears, is uneatable even by the See also:Indians. The grizzly bear is now rare in the See also:United States, See also:save in the Yellowstone See also:Park and the Clearwater Mountains of See also:Idaho, though more common in See also:British See also:Columbia. Several See also:geographical races are recognized. The See also:Tibet bear (U. pruinosus) is a light-coloured small species. The American black bear ( Ursus americauus) occurs throughout the wooded parts of the North American continent, whence it is being gradually driven to make See also:room for man. It is similar in size to the brown bear, but its fur is of a soft even texture, and of a shining black colour, to which it owes its commercial value. At the beginning of the 19th century black bears were killed in enormous See also:numbers for their furs, which at that time were highly valued. In 1803 the skins imported into See also:England numbered 25,000, but the imports have since decreased to one-See also:half of that number. They are chiefly used for military accoutrements.

Phoenix-squares

This is a timid animal, feeding almost solely on fruits, and lying dormant during winter, at which See also:

period it is most frequently killed. It is an See also:object of superstitious reverence to the Indians, who never kill it without apologizing and deploring the See also:necessity which impels them to do so. The Himalayan black bear (U. torquatus) is found in the See also:forest regions ranging from the See also:Persian frontier eastward to See also:Assam. The See also:average length is about 5 ft.; there is no under-fur, and the coat is smooth, black in colour, with the exception of a white horseshoe-See also:mark on the See also:chest. It feeds chiefly on fruit and roots, but kills See also:sheep, goats, See also:deer, ponies and See also:cattle, and sometimes devours carrion. The small bruang or Malayan bear ( Ursus malayanus) is of a See also:jet-black colour, with a white semilunar mark on the chest, and attains a length of 41 ft. Its food consists almost solely of vegetables and honey, but the latter is its favourite food,—the extreme length and pliability of the See also:tongue enabling it to See also:scoop out the honeycombs from the hollows of trees. It is found in the See also:Malay Peninsula and Islands, and is readily tamed. Not much larger than the Malay bear is the See also:South American spectacled bear of the See also:Andes (U. ornatus), distinguished from all the rest by the presence of a perforation in the See also:lower end of the humerus, and hence sometimes separated as Tremarctus. It is black, with tawny rings See also:round the eyes, and white cheeks, See also:throat and chest. A second See also:race or species exists. The sloth-bear (Melursus labiatus or See also:ursinus) is distinguished 1 Lydekker, in Proc.

See also:

Tool. See also:Soc., 1897, p. 412. by the See also:absence of one pair of upper incisors, the small size of the cheek-teeth and the very extensile See also:character of the lips. It is also known as the aswail and the honey-bear, the last name being also given to the Malay bear and the See also:kinkajou. It is about the size of the brown bear, is covered with See also:long, black hair, and of extremely uncouth aspect. It inhabits the mountainous regions of India, is readily tamed and is the bear usually exhibited by the See also:Hindu jugglers. The food consists of fruits, honey and white ants. Fossil remains of See also:extinct bears first occur in strata of the See also:Pliocene See also:age. Those of the great See also:cave bear (Ursus spelaeus), found abundantly in certain caverns of central-Europe and See also:Asia, show that it must have exceeded in size the polar bear of the See also:present See also:day. Its remains are also found in similar situations in Britain associated with those of an allied species (Ursus See also:priscus). BEAR-BAITING and See also:BULL-BAITING, See also:sports formerly very popular in England but now suppressed on See also:account of their See also:cruelty.

They took See also:

place in arenas built in the See also:form of theatres which were the common resort even of cultivated See also:people. In the bear-gardens, which are known to have existed since the time of See also:Henry II., the bear was chained to a stake by one hind See also:leg or by the See also:neck and worried by dogs. See also:Erasmus, See also:writing (about 1500) from the See also:house of Sir See also:Thomas More, spoke of " many herds of bears maintained in the country for the purpose of baiting." See also:Sunday was the favourite day for these sports. Hentzner, writing in 1598, describes the bear-See also:garden at Bankside as " another place, built in the form of a See also:theatre, which serves for the baiting of Bulls and Bears. They are fastened behind, and then worried by great See also:English bull-dogs, but not without great See also:risk to the dogs from the horns of the one and the teeth of the other, and it sometimes happens they are killed upon the spot; fresh ones are immediately supplied in the places of those that are wounded or tired." He also describes the See also:whipping of a blinded bear, a favourite variation of bear-baiting. For a famous baiting which took place before See also:Queen See also:Elizabeth in 1575 thirteen bears were provided. Of it See also:Robert Laneham (fi.1575) wrote, " it was a sport very pleasant to see, to see the bear, with his See also:pink eyes, tearing after his enemies' approach; the nimbleness and wait of the See also:dog to take his advantage and the force and experience of the bear again to avoid his assaults: if he were bitten in one place how he would pinch in another to get See also:free; that if he were taken once, then by what shift with biting, with clawing, with roaring, with tossing and tumbling he would See also:work and See also:wind himself from them; and when he was loose to shake his ears twice or thrice with the See also:blood and the slaver See also:hanging about his See also:physiognomy." The famous " See also:Paris Garden " in See also:Southwark was the See also:chief bear-garden in See also:London. A See also:Spanish nobleman of the time, who was taken to see a See also:pony baited that had an See also:ape tied to its back, expressed himself to the effect that " to see the animal kicking amongst the dogs, with the screaming of the ape, beholding the curs hanging from the ears and neck of the pony, is very laughable." See also:Butler describes a bear-baiting at length in the first See also:canto of his Hudibras. The Puritans endeavoured to put an end to animal-baiting, although See also:Macaulay sarcastically suggested that this was " not because it gave See also:pain to the bear, but because it gave See also:pleasure to the spectators." The efforts of the Puritans seem, however, to have had little effect, for we find the sport flourishing at the Restoration; but the See also:conscience of cultivated people seems to have been touched, for See also:Evelyn wrote in his See also:Diary, under the date of See also:June 16th, 1670: " I went with some See also:friends to the bear-garden, where was cock-fighting, dog-fighting, bear and bull baiting, it being a famous day for all these butcherly sports, or rather barbarous cruelties. The bulls did exceedingly well, but the Irish See also:wolf-dog exceeded, which was a tall greyhound, a stately creature indeed, who See also:beat a cruel mastiff. One of the bulls tossed a dog full into a See also:lady's See also:lap, as she sat in one of the boxes at a considerable height from the See also:arena. Two poor dogs were killed, and so all ended with the ape on horseback, and I most heartily weary of the See also:rude and dirty pastime, which I had not seen, I think, in twenty years before." See also:Steele also attacked these cruel sports in the Taller.

Nevertheless, when the See also:

tsar See also:Nicholas I. visited England as See also:cesarevich, he was taken to see a See also:prize-fight and a bull-baiting. In this latter form of the sport the bull's See also:nose was usually blown full of. See also:pepper to render him the more furious. The bull was often allowed a hole in the ground, into which to thrust his nose and lips, his most vulnerable parts. Sometimes the bull was tethered, and dogs, trained for the purpose, set upon him one by one,, a successful attack resulting in the dog fastening his teeth firmly in the bull's snout. This was called "pinning the bull." A sport called bull-See also:running vas popular in several towns of England, particularly at See also:Tutbury and See also:Stamford. Its See also:establishment at Tutbury was due to See also:John of Gaunt, to whose minstrels, on the occasion of their See also:annual festival on See also:August 16th the See also:prior of Tutbury, for his See also:tenure, delivered a bull, which had his horns sawn off, his ears and tail cut off, his nostrils filled with pepper and his whole See also:body smeared with See also:soap. The minstrels gave See also:chase to the bull, which became the See also:property of any See also:minstrel of the See also:county of See also:Stafford who succeeded in holding him long enough to cut off a See also:lock of his hair. Otherwise he was returned to the prior. At the See also:dissolution of the monasteries this tenure devolved upon the See also:dukes of See also:Devon-See also:shire, who suppressed it in 1788. At Stamford the running took place annually on See also:November 13th, the bull being provided by the butchers of the See also:town, the townspeople taking See also:part in the chase, which was carried on until both people and beast were exhausted, and ended in the killing of the bull. Certain rules were strictly observed, such as the See also:prohibition of carrying sticks or staves that were shod with See also:iron. The Stamford bull-running survived well into the 19th century.

Bear-baiting and bull-baiting were prohibited by See also:

act of See also:parliament in 1835.

End of Article: BEAR

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