WHITE BEAR AND BROWN BEAR

THE

CHAPTER V

The Polar Bear.

HE bear tribe in the strict sense, that is the family Ursidæ, differ from the other bear-like creatures, which we have considered, by their larger size and massive build. Even the little and very spry Malay bear is big when compared with e.g. a glutton, one of the largest of the non-ursine Arctoidea. Although bears can dig, they cannot, or at any rate do not, burrow holes for themselves like others of their allies, such as the badger. The polar bear differs from its congeners mainly in its very large size and white fur. The Zoological Society have exhibited in the past fairly large polar bears, and it will have been noticed by those who saw some of those animals that the fur was not of that brilliant whiteness with which it is wont to be represented in works upon Natural history. To set down this loss of pure colour to the smuts prevalent even in Regent's Park would be incorrect; for the polar bear is really only pure white when young. It gets brown with age, and the sailors who know it in its haunts call it "Brownie." Darkening with age is a common phenomenon in animals, and is even noticeable in ourselves before, of course, the ultimate whitening of senility.

This bear has been also nicknamed the farmer owing to its leisurely and agricultural gait. The polar bear," alone and palely loitering," in very

RANGE OF POLAR BEAR

truth, for as a rule the males and females go about in solitary walks, is one of those animals which go right round the pole. It is found in Greenland and Spitzbergen and other places within the arctic circle; in past times it extended its range farther south probably when the climatic conditions were more severe over northern Europe than they are at present; for its remains have been found in the neighbourhood of Hamburg. The underside of the feet of this bear are partly covered with fur and not naked and horny merely as in other bears. It seems clear that this furriness can be

put down to a need for progressing with safety upon slippery ice. It eats seals and dead whales, but especially seals. It has been known also to clear off a series of eider duck's eggs. This bear does not seem to be particularly fierce unless provoked. The general impression of ferocity which a large carnivore inspires has no doubt led to some exaggeration of its aggressiveness. At the Zoo, polar bears are as a rule noteworthy for their affability to the general public. One of the triumphs of longevity at the Zoo was a bear of this species, who lived in those gardens, for no less than thirty-seven years. The polar bear does not give that hug for which bears are so notorious; it contents itself with biting.

THE GLUTTON

The glutton or wolverene is as handsome a beast as is any of the fur-bearing animals of the north. It is circumpolar, as are so many creatures of the north, and though now not found in Europe at a lower range than Norway, it was German a few centuries ago. More centuries ago still, in fact thousands of years since, the glutton dwelt in this island, as its remains in Norfolk show us. In spite of its regrettable habits, upon which we propose to enlarge immediately, the glutton is a

ZOOLOGY OF OLAUS MAGNUS

handsome beast. It has rich glossy brown fur and is of respectable size, and quite one of the largest of the Musteline carnivores which are closely related to the bears but still more nearly to the lithe stoats, and the aquatic otter.

It walks about on the soles of the feet in the true bear fashion, and this walk is in captivity agitated and rapid as is the way with many captive carnivora, especially the little ratel Mellivora, its near neighbour at the Zoo, though not in Nature, as it is African and Indian. The latter complicates its rapid walk to and fro by an occasional somersault. The glutton has a short tail, which is largely hidden by the thick fur, a truly bearlike attribute. Like the polar bear, and perhaps for similar reasons, our wolverene has hairy palms and soles. Like other carnivora, especially of course the American "essence pedlar" or skunk, the glutton is provided with glands which secrete an abominably smelling fluid, which can be shot to a distance, and is probably a better safeguard than its teeth and claws, against invasion of its rights. For though stories are current of a highly spiced nature, it seems that the ferocity of the glutton is much exaggerated. Not so, however, its voracity, and its very name both in English and in Latin (Gulo) is a testimony to accurate public opinion. In his Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus Olaus Magnus, Archbishop of Upsala, in the fourteen hundreds, spoke concerning the glutton with no uncertain note. "This animal," observed the archbishop (in Latin)," is most voracious. When a body is discovered it eats with such rapidity that its belly becomes distended like a drum." Later on a freeish translation is perhaps more advisable. The Latin may be thus rendered : The creature seeks some conveniently close tree trunks between which it squeezes itself like an orange and is then ready to commence anew. This

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