to a modified extent, possessed by the dogs, of which the last two
molars have, instead of cutting edges, a grinding surface with four
cusps. The trenchant character is entirely lost in the bear, even
in the carnivorous species which exhibit no material difference in
the teeth, any more than, as I mentioned at the commencement of this
work, do the teeth of the human race, be they as carnivorous as the
Esquimaux, or vegetarian as the Hindu.

[Figure: Dentition of Bear.]

[Figure: Skull of Bear (under view).]

There is also another peculiarity in the bear's skull as compared
with the cat's. In the latter there is a considerable bulging below
the aperture of the ear called the _bulla tympani_, or bulb of the
drum. This is almost wanting in the bear, and it would be interesting
to know whether this much affects its hearing. I myself am of opinion
that bears are not acute in this sense, but then my experience has
been with the common Indian _Ursus_, or _Melursus labiatus_ only,
and the skulls of this species in my possession strongly exhibit this
peculiarity.[6] The cylindrical bones resemble those of man nearer
than any other animal, the _femur_ especially; and a skinned bear
has a most absurd resemblance to a robust human being. The sole of
the hind foot leaves a mark not unlike that of a human print.

[Footnote 6: On referring to Mr. Sanderson's interesting book,
'Thirteen Years among the Wild Beasts of India,' and General
Shakespear's 'Wild Sports,' I find that both those authors
corroborate my assertion that the sloth bear is deficient in the
sense of hearing. Captain Baldwin, however, thinks otherwise; but
the evidence seems to be against him in this respect.]

The Brown Bear of Europe (_Ursus arctos_) is the type of the family,
and has been known from the earliest ages--I may say safely
prehistoric ages, for its bones have been frequently found in
post-pliocene formations along with those of other animals of which
some are extinct. An extinct species of bear, _Ursus spelaeus_,
commonly called the Cave Bear, seems to have been the ancestor of
the Brown Bear which still is found in various parts of Europe, and
is said to have been found within historic times in Great Britain.

The bear of which we have the oldest record is almost the same as
our Indian Brown or Snow Bear. Our bear (_U. Isabellinus_) is but
a variety of _U. Syriacus_, which was the one slain by David, and
is spoken of in various parts of the Bibl