82 Merriam — Preliminary Synopsis of American Bears. 



Remarks. — The bear of the everglades seems to differ specifi- 

 cally from both the common Black bear of the eastern United 

 States {(Jrsus americanus Pallas) and the Louisiana hear (Ursus 

 lateohis Griffith). I have not had an opportunit}^ to compare the 

 sjvin of the Florida bear with that of other species, Ijut have 

 examined several skulls. The cranial characters are marked, 

 particularly in the adult male. The skull resembles that of the 

 Louisiana bear in great length and narrowness, but differs in the 

 form of the palate and vault of the cranium. The frontal region 

 js highly arched, while that of the Louisiana bear is flattened, 

 and the molar teeth are much smaller than in luteolas. 



Ursus emmonsi Dall. Glacier Bear. 



Ursus americanus var. emmonsii Dall, Science, NS., II, No. 30, p. 87, July 

 26, 1895. 



Type locality. — St. Ellas Alps, Alaska (near Yakutat Bay). 



Geographic distribution. — Glacier region of the St. Elias Alps and thence 

 southeasterly along the mountains to the neighborhood of Juneau ; limits 

 of range unknown. 



Characters. — Size small ; claws short and strongly curved ; skull not 

 seen ; pelage peculiar : " The general color of the animal resembles that 

 of a Silver fox. The fur is not very long, but remarkably soft and with a 

 rich under fur of a bluish black shade, numbers of the longer hairs being 

 white or having the distal half white and the basal part slaty. The dorsal 

 line from the tip of the nose to the rump, the back of the very short ears, 

 and the outer faces of the limbs are jet black. Numerous long white 

 hairs issue from the ears ; black and silver is the prevalent pelage of the 

 sides, neck and rump ; the under surface of the belly and the sinuses be- 

 hind the limbs are grayish white, or even nearly pure white, I am told, 

 in some cases. The sides of the muzzle and the lower anterior part of 

 the cheeks ai'e of a bright tan color, a character I have not seen in any 

 other American bear ; and this character is said to be invariable. There 

 is no tint of brown elsewhere in the pelage. There is no tail visible on 

 the pelts. The claws are small, very much curved, sharp, black above 

 and lighter below ; the animal evidently can climb trees, which tlie 

 Brown bear cannot do."* 



* Dall : Science, July 26, 1895, p. 87. 



