A NEW BEAST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 422, 3 February 1909, Page 4

A NEW BEAST.

HUNTER'S EXPERIENCES IN-. CHINESE ' .. -> "■ ..tOBKESTAN. .. ..,.;..; : ( --. : v Frederick Gillett, a ;vice-president of .the Zoological Society/.who has recently, r0r..,.; turned- from', a ; hunting expedition -in' Chinese''. * Turkestan, has brought back with him/..the : only known specimen of the ThianShan, grpiy. bear'/shot, by a European.' The one'-' I other' skin-known in England-is in .the : col- ; -'•-.' lectionof /Mr.: .Walter' Rothschild, at Tr.iag.'-'' (and it'was.boughtfronra-native trader,." 'Mr. ■ : -: Gntett has-also Secured, a. specimen 1 of what-.' is behoved to be a';new species-of wolf; while" he further saw an animal which, though re- / semblmg a bear in size and colour, moved 'like' v .'; a. wolf, but whether, this: was ./ an -animal K: unknown to, - scientists it, : is.. impossible '■to ': Btate. , / -.;'.'■. -.-:/;'• ''■:■. ■■■,'.■■•'/.;'■' ,-. " : V -•'■'..•■;■..■:• '■'-jSot.V.thß-.War and theVwolf: have-been admirably.mounted .by-Mr." Rowland-Ward,-'-'■' ■3„j>? r6 P r6 ? en t at » r e.;of:tho::London.."Stan- i' ! darcl -ps,showa.themcby:Jrr::.Giilett,Vwho:;>: gave, some interesting .details of-bis~ 25Sf Shan,;which,- though/sohie-S/ what. 'difficult to reach, is'i hunters' paradise.. Although some been, cast.. upon..the :gri 2ZI yYW the ..facts seem,to.support the belief.- towas •<'/:■ secured ahoye:.the timber-;,belt^whefe/ the,? -■■' brown beards practically .Rewound,.and M-- ■ also possesses ;.the: unmistakable' mizzlv" ' peculiarity ,m having white claws. The :woif, ; " nnmechately strikes one as. being, different'i■" from the.ordmary. Russian,;wolf.'4 is inubh'". •mailer. hea'diJp,comparison? '', looks inordinately big. The ..animal secured /. : : by j Mr.,Gillett .was .just - changing; its coat,'- "■' and.,is,,. therefore,,.not..such a ■■.'■ satisfactory"'' specimen-as might be desired,.although,'-from: •. a:nohrScientific..poiht':of. "view; it. is a- hand-'"•' some .'creature. .;.....-. ; ;:.'-'.''" /; -.'; v'.l''

y,.With regard;to/the ouriouß'beast thafcap- '-"-'A pear'ed : to "have some, of .the' characteristics": of .'-■': both,;bear and .wolf,,' Mr. -Gillett •''.' express aivopihioh hiniself, but "he .hopes that : " : - any.- other, hunting;. expeditions 7 visiting. -:the :'•'•? district will keep a, look-out: for it..l The facta":- ■! are as. ,follow.:—He;was "sliifting. ; camp" 'oneT-: day. -when'-an '.animal ..'was -: .obser.ved'',oa : .tHe''' '"■.' mountain'side opposite,■::a.deep"-valley'lying'//' between. ■.. By'means of his,, field .glasses Mr, ■ !;• Gillett noticed the peculiarities already men.'" tiohed, and' asked his .trackers what' ii;Vas'l -' They, gave, it, some weird, name.which,heTiad'/■'-/ '.never, heard before; and which was hot"the-. :; ' ™rd,for:'eith'eriTOU-6r.-bear;-.':;T6''make-snreV'' , - ;i: i.when,he;had';secured'o specimen-of fea'eff-tif--'"' these -animals, he, v.oh each/ occasion,/ asked W-' i the men; if.tbaiwas the animal. tliey.liad seen.,' on, the mountain; side; and oh both occasioris'--'----he got a negative reply.. The.men, seemed to vr :'''• taiow.the:animali'and,stated that there'-'were--- , only ..a fow m-the. country;',' It .was impossible; S"V *° Senear to it 6n.the;;oue;6ccasiohdn''Which'y; : .; he saw it, owing to the deep ; ravine'whicK ;'■'-- ■ i lay between' them; a'fact much to be regretted -'V