The White Bcar^ — Ursus Markimus, 113 



flesh she had fetched away, as she had done the others before, tore it in 

 pieces, and laid it down before them ; and when she saw they refused to eat> 

 she laid her paws first upon one, and then upon the other, and endeavoured 

 to raise them up. All this while it was piteous to hear her moan. When 

 she found she could not stir them, she went off, and when at some distance, 

 looked back and moaned ; and that not availing to entice them away, she 

 returned, and smelling around them, began to lick their wounds. She went 

 off a second time, as before ; and having crawled a few paces looked again 

 behind her, and for some time stood moaning. But still her cubs not rising 

 to follow her, she returned to them again, and with signs of inexpressible 

 fondness, went round first one and then the other, pawing them, and moaning. 

 Finding at last that they were cold and lifeless, she raised her head towards 

 the ship, and growled her resentment at the murderers, Avhich they returned 

 with a volley of musket balls. She fell between her cubs and died licking 

 their wounds." 



How long the female of this species goes with young has not been 

 ascertained, but it appears quite certain that she brings forth during the 

 winter season in her den. 



In its geographical distribution, this animal ranges, in America, from 

 Labrador along the eastern and northern coasts of America to the mouth of 

 Mackenzie's Kiver. Thence westward, they appear to be unknown on this 

 continent. In the old world, it inhabits the Frozen Ocean, the coasts of 

 ■Siberia, and the Islands of Nova Zembla and Spitzbergen. 



The following measurements of the Polar Bear are given by Capt. Lyon, in 

 ■the excellent and interesting narrative of his Arctic Voyage in company with Capt. 

 Pakry : — 



Length — From the snout to the insertion of the tail, 8 ft. 7| in. — the head 

 only 1 ft. 6 in. — from the e3'e to the ear, 10 in. — from the nose to the centre of the 

 eye, 8 in. — of the ear alone, 45 in. — the tail from root to tip, 5 in. — fore-claws, 6^ 

 •in. — hinder claws, I5 in. — canine teeth, 21 in. 



Girth— Round the body, 7 ft. 1 1 in.— neck, 3 ft. 41 in.— fore-leg, 2 ft. 3 in.— 

 hind-leg, 3 it. 3 in, — round the snout, 1 ft. 9^ in. — round the forehead, 2 ft. 1 in. 



Breadth — Paws, 10 in. — between the ears, 1 ft. 3 in. — canine teeth, 3 in. — 



I Weight, 1600 lhs.-\ 



Capt. Lyon, in consequence of having seen a Polar Bear prowling about 

 during the coldest part of the year, infers that Naturalists are mistaken in thinking 

 that this animal becomes torpid during winter. We do not feel authorised to draw 

 a similar conclusion from Capt. L.'s observation; especially as the habits of the 

 .gemis in this respect are well known, and because the usual food of the polar bear 

 must be extremely difficult to obtain, if it be at all accessible to the animal, during 

 %he severest part of the winter. — Godmaiv's NatiircU History. 



8 



