LIBRARY OF NATURAL HISTORY 



VOL. II 



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MAMMALS 



CHAPTER XVI 

 CARNIVORES continued 



BEARS 



Family 



THE bears are so different in appearance from the other Carnivores that no one 

 could fail to recognize their representatives at a glance, or would hesitate to admit 

 that, so far at least as living forms are concerned, they are entitled to constitute a 

 group by themselves. The number of species included in the family is comparatively 

 small ; and the whole of them are arranged under three genera, two of which are 

 represented by but a single species each. 



. Bears differ from the Carnivores hitherto noticed in an important feature con- 

 nected with the hinder part of the under surface of the skull. Thus, whereas in all 

 the preceding families the so-called tympanic bulla at the base of the internal por- 

 tion of the ear forms an inflated bladder-like capsule, which is generally divided 



(590 



