Merriam — Nineteen New Bears from Western America. 151 



nearly straight (inferior border) ; coronoid blade high, apex strongly re- 

 curved overreaching plane of condyle, defining coronoid notch. Canines 

 small ; molars (especially M') rather large. 



Cranial comparisons (old males). — Similar in general to Ursus chelan 

 but smaller ; vault of cranium much lower ; frontal shield longer-pointed 

 posteriorly ; postorbital processes broader ; sagittal crest much shorter 

 and not elevated above general level of top of skull ; zygomata less out- 

 standing and more sharply triangular; lower jaw smaller and lighter; 

 inferior border of ramus shorter, less bellied posteriorly ; coronoid blade 

 much lower and more abruptly recurved. 



Compared with latifrons, whose range it approaches on the north, sel- 

 kirki is easily distinguished by slightly smaller size, very much narrower 

 and flatter frontal shield, broader postorbitals (strongly convex poste- 

 riorly), more elevated and evenly sloping fronto-nasal region; less out- 

 standing and more triangular zygomata; longer squamoso-jugal suture; 

 broader postpalatal shelf ; much shorter lower jaw, much shorter and less 

 upcurved inferior border of ramus, and much lower coronoid blade. 



Skull measurements ( c? old, type). — Basal length 305 mm.; occipito- 

 nasal length 306 ; palatal length 169 ; zygomatic breadth 206 ; interorbital 

 breadth 74. 



Ursus townsendi sp. nov. 



Type No. 216643 c? old, U. S. National Museum. From mainland of 

 southeastern Alaska; exact locality uncertain but probably between Cross 

 Sound and Alsek River delta. Purchased at Sitka in 1889 by Dr. Charles 

 H. Townsend. 



Cranial characters. — Skull large, long, massive, rather low and flat- 

 topped, dished, with extremely small teeth. Shield broad, flat, slightly 

 depressed medially, the point ending anterior to parietals, sides reaching 

 out broadly into very broad postorbitals, strongly sloping to rostrum; 

 rostrum moderate, flat or depressed on top; nares truncate; zygomata 

 moderately outstanding and moderately bowed; squamosal base broadly 

 and abruptly expanded vertically; palate and postpalatal shelf moderate; 

 notch rather narrow; mastoids long; occipito-sphenoid 95 mm.; basi- 

 sphenoid rather deeply concave. Underjaw long; ramus broad and flat 

 vertically ; coronoid of moderate height, narrowing above, sloping strongly 

 backward, apex cutting plane of posterior part of condyle; upper two- 

 thirds of anterior border strongly inflected. 



Cranial comparisons. — Old male (the type) compared with male caurinus 

 (apparently its only near relative): Skull much larger, broader, more 

 massive, and less arched; teeth smaller. Frontal shield very much 

 broader interorbitally and postorbitally ( interorbitally 91 contrasted with 

 81 or less; across postorbitals 130 contrasted with 116); postorbitals very 

 much broader and flatter; rostrum more horizontal; nares truncate 

 instead of sloping ; zygomata more widely outstanding and more broadly 

 expanded vertically. 



Skull measurements {6^ old, type). — Basal length 348 mm.; occipito- 



