The Tower Menagerie : $b comprising the natural history of the animals contained in that establishment; with anecdotes of their characters and history.Bennett, Edward Turner
History
The Tower Menagerie : $b comprising the natural history of the animals contained in that establishment; with anecdotes of their characters and history.
The Bornean Bear is perhaps somewhat shorter in his proportions than the
rest of the group, and the great proportional breadth of his head extends
also to the neck and body. The claws are very long, strongly arched, and
very gradually attenuated to the point, which is transversely truncated
and chiefly fitted for digging the earth; but probably also enabling it
to climb with great agility. The fur is short and glistening, somewhat
rigid, but closely applied to the skin, and smooth to the touch. On
the body, head, and extremities, the Bornean Bear has the same pure,
saturated, jet-black tint which is observed in the Malayan. The muzzle,
including the region of the eyes, has a yellowish brown colour; and the
anterior part of the neck is marked by a large broad patch of a more
vivid and nearly orange tint, which is of an irregular quadrangular form,
and deeply notched above. The difference in the form and colour of this
patch constitutes the chief distinction between the present animal and
the Malayan species, in which latter it is crescent-shaped and white.
The specimen from which this description was taken measured along the
back, from the muzzle to the tail, three feet nine inches. It arrived in
this country about four years ago, and formed until lately one of the
most attractive and interesting spectacles among the animals confined in
the Menagerie. It was brought from Borneo when very young, and during
its passage was the constant associate of a monkey and of several other
young animals. It was thus domesticated in early life, and its manners
in confinement greatly resembled those of the Malayan Bear observed by
Sir Stamford Raffles, to which it was probably not inferior in sagacity
or intellect. It could rest entirely on its posterior feet, and could
even raise itself without difficulty to a nearly erect posture; but was
more generally seen in a sitting attitude at the door of its apartment,
eagerly surveying the visiters and attracting their attention by the
uncouthness of its form and the singularity of its motions. When a
morsel of bread or cake was held at a small distance beyond its reach,
it would expand the lateral aperture of its nostrils and thrust forwards
its upper lip as a proboscis in a most ludicrous manner, at the same
time making use of its paws to seize the object. After obtaining it and
filling its mouth, it would place the remainder with great calmness on
its posterior feet, and bring it in successive portions to its mouth.
When craving for food, and also while consuming it, it emitted a coarse,
but not unpleasant, whining sound, accompanied by a low grunting noise;
but if teased at this time, it would suddenly raise its voice to a
harsh and grating tone. It was excessively voracious, and appeared
disposed to eat almost without cessation; a propensity which finally
cost it its life, having overgorged itself at breakfast one morning in
the course of last summer during the hot weather, and dying within ten
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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