100 The Black BeaTy — Ursiis Americamis. 



the aqueous solutions. Boiling alcohol, digested on the residuum, takes np 

 more of the yellow matter, which, on evaporation, affords a more resinous 

 looking residuum, the surface of which is covered with a greasy film, also 

 saponifiable by caustic potash. Alcohol, digested on what remained after 

 the action of oether, dissolved only a trace of saline matter ; and the residumn, 

 after exhaustion by cether, had the appearance of thin flakes of pearly cuticle, 

 coloured yellowish-brown, insoluble in strong acid, but soluble in potash, 

 from which it was precipitated by acetic acid. A portion of these flakes, 

 when strongly heated, left a white ash, consisting of carbonate and phosphate 

 of lime, carbonate of soda, and chloride of sodium. The materials then 

 appears to consist of a number of hairs, with a quantity of delicate, cuticular 

 flakes the whole intimately mixed with a dark matter, composed as follows : 

 — a brownish, viscid, oily substance, probably containing resin ; a volatile 

 odorous principle ; extractive, soluble in water and alcohol ; colouring 

 matter, which adheres to the flakes of cuticle ; lactates of soda and lime, a 

 trace of phosphate of lime, and chloride of sodium in considerable quantity." 



ARTICLE XIII. — On the American or Black Bear, {Ursus Americanus.) 



GENUS URSUS. 



Dental Formula : — Incisive, f ; Canine, -f- y ; Molar, |-y. 



The bears have six incisive or front teeth in each jaw, next to which 

 are four large and strong canine teeth or tusks, two above and two below J 

 They have six molar or grinding teeth on each side of the upper, and seven 

 on each side of the lower jaw. They have large heads, stout bodies and 

 legs, and, in general, tremendous claws. They are plantigrade, or walk 

 with the whole sole of the foot flat upon the ground. The tail is short ; 

 mammae six ; two pectoral and four ventral, and the body is usually clothed 

 with a thick coat of shaggy or partly far-like hair. They are omnivorus, 

 and more nocturnal than dim-nal in then* habits. The generic name is from 

 the Latin ursus, a bear. There are four species in the British territories of 

 North America, of which the most common is the Black or American 



Bear. 



TJrsus Americanus. 



Specific Characters. — Black or brownish black ; a soiled brovm or 

 yellowish patch on each side of the nose. Facial outline 

 somewhat arched. Young with hair wavy or curled. 

 Inhabits all the woody regions of North America, except, 

 perhaps, the south-western part of the continent. 



Note. — I have the skulls and jaws of two bears killed in the Township of 

 Huntley, about two years since. In the upper jaw of each there are five molar 

 teeth. There is a very small molar tooth immediately behind and close to the large 

 canine tooth, then a space of ^ of an inch without teeth, then another small molar^ 

 next a molar about twice the size of the smaller ones, then a very large tooth, and 

 lastly along and narrow molar. There are six molars only in the lower jaws, and 

 they are arranged in the same manner, the small ones in the anterior porticc 

 behind the cauiue teeth. 



