NATURAL HISTORY.— MAMMALS 



245 



a manner that it could be used as a natural history specimen, 

 as are many of the skins now taken by the Eskimos. These 

 skins are taken to San Francisco in salt, or as dried skins which 

 have been stretched and scraped to remove the thick lining of 

 fat. The natives receive from 5 to 15 dollars in trade for prime 

 skins. 



The polar bear occurs along the northern border only of this 

 region. A few years ago one penetrated as far inland as Mc- 

 Pherson — over a hundred miles — robbing meat caches and 

 playing havoc among the dogs. 



A skin and two skulls were secured at Herschel Island, and 

 a large skin at Cape Tchaplin, Siberia. 



Ursus americanus Pall. Black Bear. 



Sas, D. R. Soh, L. Sa-ten-di-cli, S. 



I met several hunters who had seen both black and brown cubs 

 in the same litter, yet they recognize the fact that the brown 

 form of this species is very different from that of U. horribilis. 

 A great many bear stories were told, but in one instance only had 

 a wounded animal of this species turned upon its pursuer. One 

 clerk declared that he had "killed over two hundred black 

 bears without one of them ever showing fight." In descending 

 the Mackenzie we approached within two hundred yards of 

 one before he became alarmed and made off. At nearly every 

 trip of the u Wrigley"a bear is killed along shore from her 

 deck, these wary animals not yet having learned the danger- 

 ous character of the huge shape which appears so seldom and 

 approaches so swiftly. 



Their flesh is highly prized as food and the grease serves a 

 variety of uses. 



In the northwest they are caught in log deadfalls with a 

 heavy, crushing weight. The No. 5 steel trap is also used. In 

 the Slave valley they are sometimes caught in snares. The line 

 is passed under a root so that when the springe is released the 

 bear is dragged down and strangled. They are being exter- 

 minated along the Saskatchewan and Peace Rivers, but remain 

 unchanged beyond the Peace. 



About fifty skins are traded annually at Resolution. The 

 price paid the Indians varies from 20 dollars in cash in the 

 Northwest to 20 or 30 MB in the North. 



