62O 



THE CARNIVORES 



This strange animal, which has been known to European science only since the 

 year 1869, is of the approximate dimensions of a small brown bear, and has a gen- 

 eral bear-like aspect, although differing from all the other members of the family in 

 its parti-colored coat. The fur is long and close, with a thick, woolly under-fur. 

 The general color is white, but the eyes are surrounded with black rings, the small 

 ears are also black, while the shoulders are marked by a transverse stripe of the 

 same color gradually increasing in width as it approaches the fore-limbs, which are 

 also entirely black, as are likewise the hind-limbs. This peculiar coloration com- 

 municates a most extraordinary appearance to the creature ; and without knowing 



THE PARTI-COT.ORED BEAR. 



more of its natural surroundings it is difficult to imagine the object of such a star- 

 ing contrast. The tail is extremely short, and the soles of the feet are hairy. 



In addition to these external characteristics, the parti-colored bear also presents 

 some peculiar features in regard to the skull and teeth. Thus the skull is remark- 

 able for the great width of the zygomatic arches and the enormous development of 

 the longitudinal ridge on the upper surface of the brain case, both these features in- 

 dicating greater power of jaw than has at present been found in any other member 

 of the entire carnivorous order. Then, again, the teeth differ both in number and 

 form from those of all the other Ursidae. Instead of the forty-two teeth, character- 

 istic of the typical bears, the parti-colored bear has but forty teeth, all told ; the 

 diminution in number being due to the absence of the first pair of premolar teeth in 



