598 THE CARNIVORES 



small-sized bear, of both sexes, neither white nor yellow, but rather dirty looking ; 

 and these are likewise the best runners. 



Mr. M'Tavish proceeds to observe that the pace of a Polar bear is considerable, 

 and that he has known instances where they have overtaken and killed Indians in a 

 fair chase. Their fleetness depends, however, largely upon their condition at the 

 time, the thinner they are the greater being their speed. The weight of a large and 

 fat Polar bear is estimated at from 600 to 700 pounds. 



In the Hudson's Bay district, the female bears proceed to their winter hiber- 

 nation for the purpose of producing their young at the end of September or begin- 

 ning of October, and return in March, April or May. The hibernation always takes 

 place some distance inland, and the males accompany their consorts to their resting 

 places, after which they come back to the coast, where they hunt throughout the 

 winter. Generally two cubs are produced at a birth, but the number may be some- 

 times diminished to one, and occasionally increased to three. 



Mr. M'Tavish gives the following account of the manner in which these bears 

 capture their prey: "The bear having discovered a seal asleep on an icefloe, 

 immediately slips into the water if he himself be on another ice floe. Diving, 

 he swims under the water for a distance, then reappears and takes observa- 

 tions. Alternately diving and swimming, he approaches close to his victim. 

 Before his final disappearance he seems to measure the intervening distance, and 

 when he next appears it is alongside of the seal. Then, either getting on the ice, 

 or pouncing upon the seal as it tries to escape, he secures it. Both seals and por- 

 poises are not unfrequently met with, bearing the marks of a bear's claws upon 

 their backs." 



THE BROWN BEAR (Ursus arctos] 



With the brown bear we come to the typical and best-known representative of 

 the entire group. It is distinguished from the Polar bear, not only by its color, but 

 also by its larger and wider head, in which the muzzle is shorter, the profile more 

 curved, and the ears larger. The neck is also shorter and thicker, the teeth are 

 relatively larger, and the soles of the feet are entirely naked. 



Owing to variations in color several so-called species, such as the Syrian bear 

 and the snow or isabelline bear of the Himalayas, have been established on what are 

 now known to be merely local races of the brown bear. 



Including all these varieties, the brown bear may be described as one of the 

 largest species of the genus, furnished in winter with long, thick, shaggy, and soft 

 fur, beneath which is a thick and woolly under-fur ; the ears being of moderate 

 size, and covered with long hair. The color is generally some shade of brown, 

 although subject to great individual and local variation. In general it varies from 

 very pale to very dark brown, some of the lighter varieties being almost cream 

 colored in certain parts ; while, in a variety from Eastern Tibet, the fur on the 

 back and limbs is blackish, with tawny tips to the hairs. In other varieties, again, 

 the fur has a silvery tinge, owing to the hairs being tipped with white ; while some 

 Specimens have a decidedly reddish tinge. In the light Himalayan variety the color 



