FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 269 



land, that weighed 1,325 pounds — the skin weighed 135 pounds. 

 Anderson gives the height at shoulder as 48 inches ; height at hip, 

 3 feet 10 inches; girth back of shoulders, 10 feet; and width 

 between ears, 14 inches. 



McCracken (1920) obtained a bear at Frosty Peak, whose 

 weight was estimated to be between 1,600 and 1,800 pounds. The 

 tanned skin was 11 feet 4 inches long, and "the skull was 18V4 

 in. long one-half inch under the world's record according to 

 Washington, D. C. authorities." 



Beasley (1910) shot a bear at Port Moller that weighed 1,200 

 pounds. 



I obtained a large male bear north of Pavlof Volcano, May 30, 

 1925. Total length was 2,100 mm. The skin, when laid out 

 loosely, measured 11 feet. It made a heavy pack load, weighing 

 well over 100 pounds. The bear was estimated to weigh roughly 

 about 1,000 pounds. This probably was a conservative estimate 

 because he was extremely fat. The fat on the rump was so thick 

 that the tail bone was completely buried in the layer, and the 

 tail itself was not visible. There were large bare places on both 

 elbows, which were calloused as a result of the bear lying about 

 on the rocks. 



Brown bears have been abundant on Alaska Peninsula. Mc- 

 Cracken (1924) says — 



On my sojourn in the section around the western end of the Alaska Penin- 

 sula, which was in 1922 between the breakup of spring until August, I 

 saw 190 brown bears. The fact that we saw 28 bears in a single day, and 

 as high as 12 in sight at the same time, is in itself good evidence of the 

 numbers to be found. 



In primitive times, brown bears are said to have been gre- 

 garious and very plentiful. Even today, on Unimak Island, where 

 the primitive state has been preserved, groups of at least seven 

 or eight bears have been noted. 



In areas that are extensively hunted, the large, old, male bears 

 tend to become scarce, though there may be many females, 

 younger animals and cubs. 



The dates of hibernation are not definitely known, and no doubt 

 there is much variation among individuals. Many bears probably 

 come out of hibernation some time in April. Beals and Long- 

 worth (field report) saw their first bear on April 15, 1941 ; after 

 this date, sightings became common. In 1925, I saw the first bear 

 on May 5, ambling about the lower edge of the lava beds at Urilia 

 Bay. The bear country on the mainland was not investigated 

 until May 24. At that time, it was evident that the bears had 



