298 



CARNIVORA 



G(jo(jraiiltical distribution. — North Polar region, south to 

 northernmost continental coasts. 



Characters. — Similar to Ursus, but cheek-teeth much less 

 robust, the combined length of the two upjaer molars not equal 

 to width of palate, and canines and incisors enlarged and more 

 prehensive in general form. 



Remarks. — The genus Thalarcios, though not very strongly 

 dift'erentiated from Ursus, is a well defined and perfectly natural 

 group. 



THALARCIOS MARITIMUS Phipps. 



1774. Ursics maritimns Phipps, Voyage toward North Polo, p. 185 (Spitz- 



bcrgen). 

 1776. Ursus mariiius Pallas, Eeise durch verschiedeue Provinzen des 



russischen Beichs, iii, p. 691 (Arctic Ocean). 

 1792. Ursus folaris Shaw, ^Museum Levorianum, i, p. 7 (P^enaming of 



marinus). 

 1862. Thalarctos maritimus Gray, Catal. Bones Mamm. Brit. JIus., p. 105. 

 1908. ? Thalassarctos jenacnsis Knottnerus-Meyer, Sitz.-Ber. Gesellsch. 



Naturforsch. Freunde, Berlin, p. 184, July, 1908 (Jena Island, 



Spitzbergen). 

 1908. ? Thalassarctos spitzbergensis Knottnerus-Meyer, Sitz.-Ber. Gesellsch. 



Naturforsch. Freunde, Berlin, p. 184, July, 1908 (Seven Island, 



Spitzbergen). 

 1910. Ursus [Thalassarctos) maritimus Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europe, 



p. 66. 



Tijpe locality. — Spitzbergen. 



Geographical distrihution. — Arctic Ocean, south on floating ice 

 occasionally to the northern coast of Norway. Details of 

 distribution unknown. 



Diagnosis. — General characters as in the genus ; size very 

 lai'ge ; colour uniform whitish or buffy. 



External characters. — Form lijnger and less heavy than in 

 Ursus arcios, the neck noticeably longer and head longer and 

 more pointed ; ear actually as well as relatively shorter ; fore 

 foot with palmar tubercles and balls of toes essentially as in 

 U. arctos but smaller ; pad on hind foot without backward 

 continuation along inner portion of sole ; claws much less 

 elongated than in U. arctos, not strongly curved, but with acute 

 jjoints and well developed cutting edges. Fur very dense, its 

 texture almost seal-like in the short summer coat. 



Colour. — Entire animal a uniform whitish or buffy, the winter 

 pelage tending to be a creamy-white, the summer coat yellowish 

 buff. 



Skull. — The skull is considerably larger than that of Ursus 

 arcios, with relatively longer brain-case, deeper, wider rostrum, 

 and less elevated frontal region ; lambdal region less produced 

 backward than in Ursus arctos, the condyles usually visible when 

 skull is viewed from above. Base of brain-case essentially as in 

 U. arctos, but portion at base of condyles more narrowed and 



