FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Measurements. — Males, total length, 6 feet to 8 feet 6 

 inches; tail vertebrae, about 2 inches; hind foot, lo to I2 inches. 

 Height at shoulder, 3 feet to nearly 4 feet. Weight 350 to 



Fig. 18. Grizzly Bear 



about 900 pounds ; park animals up to 1 1 50 pounds. Females 

 slightly smaller than males. 



Geographical Distribution.— Great Plains region and Rocky 

 Mountain region; north into Alaska. 



Food. — Omnivorous; wild game when it can be caught, 

 cattle, sheep, hogs, fish, berries, fruit, grass, and roots of 

 various species, ants. 



Enemies.' — Hunted only by man. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Ursus 



The group of Grizzly and Big Brown Bears of North 

 America is a most troublesome one to include in any handbook. 

 The most recent review is by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, who has 

 had the benefit of many years of study and large collections of 

 specimens. This review lists no less than 86 distinct forms, 

 of which 84 are to be found in the geographical area covered 

 by this handbook. A great many of these forms are based 

 upon skulls; the external characters are unknown. To set 

 forth here these 84 species and subspecies of Bears would be to 

 swamp the student and discourage him from any attem.pt to 

 identify a Grizzly or a Big Brown Bear. Indeed, it is a 



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