THE POLAR BKAR. 67 



for climbing; whilst the bears inhabiting the wilds of Siberia, 

 the Rocky Mountains of North America, and the arctic ice- 

 bergs, attain that superior size and strength which enable 

 them to execute the acts of destruction necessary for their 

 own support and existence. 



Besides differences in size and colour, there are few cha- 

 racteristics by which the species can be distinguished from 

 each other ; and these marks of distinction are by no means 

 prominent or easily perceived. Linnaeus, who had never had 

 an opportunity of examining the polar bear, doubted even 

 its specific difference from the brown bear, which conse- 

 quently was the only one admitted into his catalogue of species. 

 It is true he has characterized in his last edition of the Sy- 

 stema Naturoe four species of Ursus; but then he associated in 

 the same genus with the common bear, the badger, the ra- 

 coon, and the glutton, all of which, possessing fewer teeth 

 and longer tails, have been separated from the genus Ursus in 

 the modern systems of zoology. In the same year that Storr 

 effected this dismemberment, Pallas added two species to the 

 restricted group, and satisfactorily pointed out the characters 

 which distinguish the polar and the American black bear from 

 the European species. 



Soon afterwards a new era arose in natural history, when 

 the knowledge of living species was found essential to the 

 elucidation of those numerous extinct forms of which the 

 fossil remains now alone exist ; and it may be readily con- 

 ceived what rapid strides the natural history of living animals 

 has made, since to its own intrinsic attractions has been added 

 the stimulus of a new and deeply interesting inquiry. Thus 

 the immortal Cuvier observes, "From the commencement 

 of my researches on the cave-bones, I perceived the neces- 

 sity of determining the characters, as well external as osteolo- 

 gical, of the living species of bears; and I made efforts to 

 obtain the means. We possessed in our Museum but one 

 skeleton of a bear, of an undetermined species. I was then 

 obliged for many years to examine all the bears that I could 

 procure, and to have their skeletons prepared. Our menagerie 

 has in this respect been to me of the greatest utility ; and 

 on this, as on many other occasions, the scientific impor- 

 tance of such an establishment has been demonstrated/ ' His 

 own zeal and industry were met with corresponding ardour 

 by his pupils abroad, and by scientific men of all nations ; 

 and the catalogue of species has accordingly been rapidly ex- 

 tended. They may be thus enumerated : — 



f2 



