A NEW BEAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 11, 6 February 1909, Page 3

A NEW BEAST.

Mr Frederick Gillett, a vice-president of the Zoological Society, who has recently returned from a hunting expedition in Chinese Turkestan, has brought back with him the only known specimen of the Thian Shan grizzly bear shot by a European. The one other skin known iu England is in the collection of M'l Waller Kothchild, at Tring, and it was bought from a native trader. Mr G lett has also secured a specimen of what is believed to be a new species o! wolf, while he further saw an animal which, moved like a wolf, but whether this was an animal unknown to scientists it is. impossible to state. J.hjtll the bear and the wolf have been admirably mounted by Mr Rowland Ward, and a representative of the Eondon Standard was srtowu them by Mr Gillett. who gave some interesting details of his experiences ia Thian Shan, which, though somewhat dillicull to reach, is apparently a hunters' paradise. Although sonic doubt has been cast upon the bear being a grizzly peculiarity in having white claws. Tim wolfe iminc* mediately strikes one its being diilcrent from the ordinary wolf. It is much, smaller in body, ami the head, in comparison, looks inordinately big. The animal secured by Mr Gillett was. jusl; changing its coat, and is. therefore, not Mich a *ntisfnctovy specimen a« might be desired, although, from a noii-scicnliiic j point of view It is a handsome creature. | With regard to the curious beast that' appeared to have some of the characteristics of both bear and wolf, Mr Gillett declined to express an opinion himself, but lie hopes that any other hunting expedition visiting the district will keep a look-out for it. The facts are as follows: —lie was shifting camp one day when an animal was observed on the mountain side opposite, a < T .ecp valley lying between.. By means of his field glasses "Mr Gillett noticed the peculiarities already mentioned, and asked his trackers what it Mas. They gave it some weird name which ho had never heard before, and which was not the word for either wolf or bear. To make sure when he had secured a specimen of each of these animals, he, on each occasion, asked the men if that was the animal they had seen on the mountain side, and on both occasions he got a negative reply. The men seemed to know the animal, and stated that there were o.My a lew in the country. Tt was impossible to get near to it on the one occasion on which he saw* it. owing to ihe deep ravine which which lay between them, a fact Mefc to be regretted. 1