146 BULLETIN NO. VII. 
For details concerning the anatomy the reader is referred to 
the description of the black bear beyond. Great variations are 
found in different individuals of the same species. 
Ursus americanus PALLAS. 
THE BLACK BEAR. 
The black bear is still quite common in Minnesota; every 
year a number are exposed in the markets of Minneapolis. So 
far as observed these are nearly all of the normal black variety. 
Mr. Allen remarks: ‘‘Contrary to what was formerly sup 
posed, bears everywhere appear to be among the most variable 
of mammiferous animals, not only in coloration, but in size, 
proportions, and in the conformation of the skull and other parts 
of the skeleton. Those familiar with them say it is rare to find 
any two alike. Iam informed by my friend Mr. C. W. Bennett 
that he has known two cubs of the same litter, taken in one of 
the western states, that as they grew up, differed very mater- 
ially from each other in color, one being black and the other 
brown. They differed widely also in form and disposition, one 
being docile and playful, while the other was ferocious and 
dangerous. The leading varieties in color of the American and 
European bears, as the brown and black bears, are now gener- 
ally deemed to be but varieties and not species. The bears 
have ever been a perplexing group, and accordingly the opin- 
ions advanced by different authors respecting the number of 
species vary widely. Several high authorities consider the 
land bears of northern North America, northern Asia and Europe 
as forming but one, or at most two, species, among which (au- 
thorities) are Blainville and Middendorff, the latter of whom, 
with access to a large amount of material, has especially oe 
most minutely investigated the subject. 
Dr. Gray recognizes eight with numerous varieties and sub- 
varieties of each. 
There is a strong tendency among naturalists to consider old 
world bears as all distinct from those of North America, and at 
least to recognize two species of the latter—the grizzly bear of 
the west and the continentally dispersed black and brown bears. 
Prof. Baird gives the probable number as five, four of which 
he seems to consider well founded. But each of the recognized 
species presents so many varieties, which to a greater or less 
extent intergrade, that well-marked lines of distinction cannot 
at present be drawn.” 
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