ANIMAL of the BEAR-KIND.
The wonderful variety of quadrupeds, and the frequent variations in each ſpecies, lead the thinking mind at once to admire the boundleſs productions of nature, and to confeſs, that man with all his acquirements of knowledge, is but very ſlenderly informed, and at beſt but ſuperficially wiſe; that more knowledge and additional diſcoveries tend leſs to perfection, than to excite inquiry after a train of endleſs reſearches.
The animal we are now to deſcribe is of a form unknown, of a ſpecies never deſcribed, with peculiarities which have never preſented themſelves, or elſe have eſcaped notice.
The "PETRE BEAR," (which is the name we have been directed to call it by a very able naturaliſt) was brought to England in Auguſt laſt, by Capt. Pearſon, on board a ſhip belonging to the India Company, whoſe report is, that it was brought from Patna in the province of Bengal, and when it firſt came into his poſſeſſion was very young, nearly a cub;—here information leaves us: the manner in which it was caught, or the place and circumſtances attending, were not related; we muſt therefore reſt contented with a deſcription of its ſeveral parts, noticing ſuch peculiarities, as have been obſerved ſince it came to England. The animal is a female, and is now to be ſeen at the beaſt ſhop, Holborn-hill, London.
The Petre Bear (if the name be allowed) has five claws on the fore feet, between two and three inches long, nearly of the ſame thickneſs, and not very bulky: the hair all over the body is of a ruſtyiſh black colour, very harſh and coarſe, between twelve and eighteen inches long; that on the ſhoulder rather longer, which it can draw forwards, or lay backwards: the form of the head, and chiefly the mouth, is the principal characteriſtic of the animal; this we have endeavoured to render as intelligible as poſſible, by adding a view of the mouth when open: from the eyes to the tip of the noſe, is about 6 ½ inches, which tapers off like the truncated ſnout of ſwine: the front of the mouth, when ſhut, is flat alſo, like the ſwine: the formation of the noſtrils differs from every other animal’s, the natural ſhape being exactly as ſhewn in the drawing: the lips project very far (two or three inches) beyond the front teeth: the lower lip, as well as the upper one, with the noſtrils, are very flexible, over which the animal has great command, placing them in any poſition at pleaſure; has great power of ſuction, and will draw things into its mouth at a conſiderable diſtance: the tongue is rather ſmall: teeth at preſent few: was fed, on board the ſhip, with boiled rice and ſugar; at preſent on bread (about a quartern loaf per day): with ſome difficulty was brought to eat fleſh, which it does now with a reliſh: is very tame; appears pleaſed when kindly noticed, ſoliciting play: expreſſes anger with a kind of accented growl, ſomething like barking: its paws, when laid together, it ſucks with a tremulous noiſe, like one when ſhaking with pain: the feet are ſhort; has nails on the hind legs: drinks, or rather ſucks water in conſiderable quantity: general appearance black, face grey, ſtands about 2 ½ feet high, 5 feet long, has grown conſiderably ſince it has been in England.
Upon the whole, this may be conſidered as a very uncommon creature, as well for its formation, as the very extraordinary circumſtance of ſo thick and coarſe a fur to a native of ſo warm a country; the general appearance alſo is that of a Bear, whereas we know of none in thoſe climes, nor any animal whoſe appearance can lead us to ſuggeſt to what breed it belongs, or by what mixture or chance it is likely to owe its birth. Time and further inquiry only can clear up theſe at preſent ſingular facts.
