268 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



group of Alaska grizzlies, on the basis of my field observations 

 and the studies I have cited above, it seems wise to assume North 

 American and Palearctic bears of the brown group conspecific. 

 Furthermore, in view of my field observations and as a result of 

 the more recent work of Rausch, it seems improbable that there is 

 more than one form occupying Alaska Peninsula. Therefore, I list 

 for the Alaska Peninsula only one subspecies, U. a. gyas. 



The great size of the Alaska brown bear has caught the imagi- 

 nation of the public, and it is a favorite trophy for the sports- 

 man, as well as for the camera enthusiast. The estimates of 

 weight of this animal probably are not greatly exaggerated. 



Necessarily, most of the information on weight is based on 

 estimates, but some authentic figures have been reported. 



Loring (1907) gives the weight of one bear as 1,010 pounds. 



There are some interesting data on a male bear, Ursus gyas, 

 that lived for many years in the National Zoological Park in 

 Washington, D. C. The bear died September 30, 1914, and was 

 measured by Vernon Bailey. A record of weights, kept since 

 its capture at Cape Douglas, Alaska Peninsula, on May 24, 1901, 

 were published by Townsend Whelen (1946) as follows: 



Pounds 



May 24, 1901 18 



January 9, 1902 180 



June 15, 1903 450 



January 18, 1904 625 



January 28, 1905 770 



February 26, 1906 890 



March 11, 1907 970 



March 21, 1908 1,050 



January 20, 1911 1,160 



September 30, 1914 1,020 



Measurements of this bear, taken by Vernon Bailey at time of 

 death, were as follows: Total length, 2,590 mm.; tail vertebrae, 

 120 mm. ; length of hind foot, 350 mm. (claws were worn short) ; 

 height at shoulder, 1,380 mm. ; girth back of shoulders, 1,760 mm. ; 

 girth at belly, 2,305 mm. 



The bear had attained an age of about 13V2 years; cause of 

 death was attributed to rupture of the abdominal aorta. At time 

 of death, it was described by Bailey as being "in fine muscular 

 condition, but not fat." 



Allen (1904) reports the measurements of a specimen taken at 

 Port Moller as follows: Total length, 2,057 mm.; tail vertebrae, 

 127 mm. ; hind foot, 349 mm. ; shoulder height, 1,068 mm. ; weight, 

 approximately 1,600 pounds. The weight was estimated. 



Anderson (1909) obtained a bear, June 1, 1909, on Unimak Is- 



