Vol. vim, pp. 147-152 December 29, 1893 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 



THE YELT.OW BEAR OF LOUISIANA, UBSUS 

 L UTEOL US G RIFFITII. 



BY C. HART MERRIAM, M. D. 



Ursm luteolus Griffith, Order Carnivora, 1.S21, 2:lf3-2o7, with colored jilate. 

 Ursus atnericamis Baird, Mammals of North America, IS.o?, 217 and 222 



(in part — not of Pallas 1. 

 Urm>< cinnamomeus Brown, Forest and Stream, December 16, 189o, oil) 



(in part — not c'lnnamominn of Aiulubon and Bachman). 



In the year 1800 Shaw mentioned and in part described a 

 yellow bear from the sonthern United States, but did not giv^e it 

 a specific name, referring it to the black bear as a variety, with 

 a quer3^ His account in full is as follows : " Yellow bear. 

 Among Mr. Catton's figures of quadrupeds a representation is 

 given of a yellow^ bear from the living animal then kept in the 

 Towner. The following is the description accompanying the jolate 

 referred to: 'The yellow bear from Carolina (as the American 

 bears in general are) is rather smaller than the European bears ; it 

 has also a more pleasant and agreeable countenance, is joerfectly 

 tame and sociable ; the color a lively, bright orange, of a red- 

 dish cast; the hair thick, long, and silky. Its other properties 

 are the same as of the species in general.' " (General Zoology, 

 vol. I, part II, Mammalia, 1800, p. 454.) 



In 1821 Edward Griffith, in his important and rather rare 

 work on the Garni vora, named this bear Urws hiteolva, and gave 



24— Bioi,. SdC. Wash., Vor,. VIII, 1893. (147) 



