BEAR FAMILY 



103 



GLACIER BEAR 

 Ursus emmonsi (Dall) 



General Description. — See also American Black- 

 Bear. In general like the Black Bear but smaller and 

 body color a bluish-black with white-tipped hairs. 



Dental Formula. — Same as for Black Bear. 



Pelage. — Sexes similar. A remarkaljly soft pelage, 

 the hairs not very long ; rich underfur of a bluish-black. 

 with many of the long hairs white or tipped with white ; 

 dorsal line from tip of nose to rump, the back of the 

 short ears and outer surfaces of limbs, jet black; sides 

 of the muzzle and lower anterior cheek are a bright 

 tan ; no brown elsewhere in pelage. 



Measurements. — Smallest of American Bears. 

 Height at shoulder, 2 feet. 



Range. — St. Elias range of mountains southeasterly 

 to Juneau. 

 Food. — Similar to that of the Black Bear. 



Rel.\ted Species 



While there are no related species of similar color 

 pattern, one with much the same status, and also con- 

 sidered by some as still another color phase of tlie 

 Black Bear, is Kermode's Bear. 



Kermode's Bear. — Ursus kcnnodci Hornaday. Gen- 

 eral form Hke Glacier Bear and like it in size. Color, 

 white, more or less pure in tone. Range in British 

 Columbia just south of Alaska. 



The Glacier Bear is a remarkable and little 

 known animal that frequents the edges of 

 glaciers in Alaska, chiefly near Mt. St. Elias. 

 Some fur dealers call it the Blue Bear, from the 

 indefinite bluish-gray tinge of its fur. The Gla- 

 cier Bear is tiiuid and retiring. It has been seen 

 by but few hunters, and has not yet been cap- 

 tured alive for any zoological park, because of 

 the wild bleak country which it frequents. 



Although quite distinct in size and appearance 

 from the American Black Bear many authori- 

 ties today regard the Glacier Bear as but a color 

 phase of the normal black variety. However, 

 if this be the case it is a unique phase and has 



no duplication among the Black Bears in other 

 regions of North America. According to this 

 view, the Glacier Bear would be analogous to the 

 Silver Fox, an unusual color phase of the com- 

 mon Red Fox. 



The Glacier Bear has one of the softest and 

 most beautiful coats of any of the Bears, and for 

 this reason is much sought after. The fur has 

 something of the smooth, fine texture of the seal, 

 and in the same way is remarkably adapted to 

 the double purpose of keeping the aniinal warm 

 and dry. It is distinctively marked so that it 

 cannot be mistaken. This is the smallest of all 

 the Americatt Bears, being only two feet high. 



BLACK BEAR HbMING BEES 

 The Black Bear is a great bee hunter, and is inordinately fond of honey 



