The habits of the two species differ but little. In summer, according to Dr. Jerdon, the Sun Bear “is generally found at a considerable elevation, nine to twelve thousand feet or so, and often close to snow; but in winter it descends to five thousand feet, and even lower sometimes. It lives chiefly on fruits and roots, apricots, walnuts, apples, currants, &c.; also on several grains, barley, Indian corn, buckwheat, &c.; and in winter chiefly feeds on various acorns, climbing the oak trees and breaking down the branches.... They are very fond of honey. Now and then they will kill Sheep, Goats, &c., and are occasionally said to eat flesh.... This Bear has bad eyesight, but great power of smell, and if approached from windward is sure to take alarm. A wounded Bear will sometimes show fight, but in general it tries to escape. It is said sometimes to roll itself into the form of a ball, and then roll down steep hills, if frightened or wounded. If met suddenly, when there is no means of escape, it will attack man at once; and curious to say, it always makes for the face, sometimes taking off most of the hairy scalp, and frightfully disfiguring the unfortunate sufferer. There are few villages in the interior where one or more individuals thus mutilated are not to be met with.”[146] The Sun Bears are distinguished in menageries for their gift of walking about on their hind legs, which they do in a curiously human manner. This mode of progression seems sometimes to be adopted in the wild state. Both species are noticeable, in their state of captivity in the Zoological Gardens, for the antics they perform. The Himalayan Bears play with one another like two awkward boys, stand on their hind legs to wrestle, then fall down, and roll over and over, biting and hugging in the most laughable manner. The Malayan Bear is even more amusing. When the keeper gives it one of the hard biscuits on which it is fed, it will sometimes lie down on its back, and hold the biscuit now with its fore paws, now with both fore and hind paws, swaying about all the time, and expressing its satisfaction by the most comical noises. Mr. Swinhoe quotes some curious notions entertained by the Chinese respecting the Sun Bear. They are contained in the native publication already referred to, _The Hainan Gazetteer_. “_Heirng_ [or Bear] is fond of climbing trees and panting. Its gall in spring is in its heel, in summer in its belly, in autumn in its left paw, in winter in its right paw. About its heart there is a white fat, like jade, the taste of which is extremely fine: this is usually called ‘Bear’s white.’ In winter the Bear lies torpid, and does not eat. When hungry, it licks its own paws, and thence the goodness in the paws.” THE SLOTH BEAR.[147]