Description and Distribution 57 



whom I would never for a moment have suspecteii 

 of differing in blood or descent from their northern 

 relatives. However, as we may see from the list al- 

 ready given, the Black Bears of Florida, Louisiana, 

 Mexico, and certain restricted districts in the North, 

 have been technically recognized as entitled to separate 

 classification. And it is just as well to state cleariy 

 that in these pages all statements (unless otherwise 

 incUcated) refer to the common American Black Bear, 

 and the term Black Bear, when unqualified, refers 

 always to Urs-us arnerimmis (Pallas). 



It is also just as well to call attention ui the beginning 

 to a mistaken idea that is a very old one and is very 

 srenerallv entertained about these animals. I refer to 

 the belief that there is a difference of species between 

 the black and the brown or cinnamon-colored individ- 

 uals of the tribe. This notion is so wide-spread that 

 one often hears it stated that there are three varieties 

 of bears in the United States: the Black Bear, the 

 Cinnamon Bear, and the Grizzly. But this is a most 

 misleading statement. There are many cinnamon- 

 colored bears, but there is no such species as the Cin- 

 namon Bear. Some Black Bears are brown, and so are 

 some grizzlies. Some Black Bears are cinnamon-color, 

 and so are some grizzlies. But the difference between 

 the Black Bears that are black and the Black Bears 

 that are cinnamon-color b the difference between 

 blondes and brunettes: while the difference between a 



