184 BULLETIN OF THE 



fornia, as supposed by Audubon and Bachman, T sec no reason why, in 

 view of the known variability of I', lotor in the Eastern States and the 

 relatively small differences only thus far pointed out between them and 

 their Western relatives, all the raccoons of the United States thus far 

 known should not be referred to P. lotor.* 



15. Ursus arctos Linx.-eus. (U. americanus Pallas.) Black 

 Beak. Extinct in the more thickly settled parts of the State ; oc- 

 casional among the mountains of the western counties. 



In respect to the occurrence of this species in this State, Dr. Emmons 

 remarked in 18-10: "It is not many years since great numbers appeared 

 there [on the Hoosac Mountain range] at once, and between twenty 

 and thirty were taken in the course of one autumn, on the mountains 

 in Adams and Williamstown. They are still to be found, and several 

 have been taken every year since." (Rep., p. 24.) The local news- 

 papers yet frequently chronicle their capture in Berkshire County. 



Contrary to what was formerly supposed, bears everywhere appear to be 

 among the most variable of mammiferous animals, not only in coloration, 

 but in size, proportions, and in the conformatimi of the skull and other 

 parts of the skeleton. Those familiar with them in life say it is rare to 

 find two alike. A writer in the American Naturalist f has alluded to two 

 females of the same litter, captured by him in Maine when young and raised 

 as pets, that differed so essentially in their general build as to correspond 

 respecfivplv with what has been termed " ranger bear " and " hog bear," 

 they differing also as much in disposition as in form. 1 am also informed 

 by mv friend Mr. C. W. Bennett that he has known two cubs of the same 

 litter, taken in one of the Western States, that as they grew up differed 

 very materially from each other in color, one being black and the other 

 brown. They differed also widely in form and disposition, one being docile 

 and playful while the other was ferocious and dangerous. The leading va- 

 rieties in color of the American and European bears, as the brown and the 



* This is also the view now taken by Dr. Gray, who remarks respecting /'. / (or us 

 follows: " This species varies rather in the tint of its colors in the different parts of North 

 America It is very apt to become white, and is thus the /'. ocij ■•■ nan » (Gray, Mag. 

 Nat. Hist., ls:,7, p, 580) from Texas; I described n specimen from California, with the 

 tail imperfect, as /'. psora (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1S42); and Wiegmann described 

 two other varieties under the names of P. bi-achyurus and /'. obscurus (Arch. Ill, 369). 

 Dr I'.aird, in the Mammals of North Ami iders P. Hernandezii as a species, 



.IN it the Black-footed Procyon, including P. psora, which has feet as pale or jialer 

 than P. lotor." — Proc. fond. Zobl. Sue, 1S64. 



t Vol. 1, p. 657. 



