43^ Game of Europe, W. Sc N. Asia & America 



of a species. It appears to be a very well marked variety, distinguished by 

 its small size, short and liighly curved claws, and light coloration. Its 

 skull has not yet been described. Dr. Dall's original description is as 

 follows : — 



"The eeneral colour 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 [terminal] 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 sides of the limbs are jet black. Numerous long white hairs issue 

 from the ears ; black and silver is the prevalent colour of the sides, neck, 

 and rump ; the under surface of the belly and the hollows behind the 

 limbs are greyish white, or even pure white, I am told, in some cases. 

 The sides of the muzzle and the lower anterior part of the cheeks are of a 

 bright tan-colour, 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 else- 

 where 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 the brown bear cannot do." 



THE LABRADOR BLACK BEAR 



{Ursus amer'icanus sor/iborgeri) 



This variety was described in 1898 by Mr. O. Bangs in the American 

 Natiiralfst^ on the evidence of skulls from Labrador. These are described 

 as being smaller, shorter, and relatively wider than in the typical race of 

 the species, with the nasal bones remarkably short, the palate very short 

 and wide, and the cheek-teeth unusually large. No skins were known 

 when this description was written. 



' Vol. xxxii. p. 500. 



