MAMMALS URSIDAE URSUS AMERICANUS. 



227 



Of two specimens from Louisiana, of nearly the same age with that first described, one agrees 

 pretty well with it ; the other exhibits a gentle concavity from between the orbital processes to 

 the end of the nasals. 



In three very old specimens from Louisiana, the sagittal crest extends nearly as far as the 

 middle of the frontal bone. In two of these there is rather more of a depression between the 

 orbital processes than that described ; the third (a male) agrees very closely. The dorsal outline 

 is altered in all as being less convex ; in one it is nearly straight from the end of the sagittal 

 crest to the tip of the nose. 



A specimen (No. 1156) has a much shorter muzzle than the others, measuring only 0.29 of 

 the total length, instead of 0.33, as given above. 



All agree in the general shape of the coronoid process as given above. 



Since writing the preceding article, I have examined a skull of the black bear from Saranac 

 Lake, New York, which exhibits some very anomalous features, greatly differing from what has 

 been described. The chief characteristic is the enormous breadth of the head, in this respect 

 exceeding even the Ursus arctos of Europe. Thus, while the total length is 10.70 inches, the 

 width is 7.60, a proportion of 100 to 71. A larger number of specimens from this locality, 

 may perhaps furnish the clue to this remarkable variation, which, under other circumstances, 

 would be readily allowed as indicating a distinct species. 



Measurements. 



Total length 12.30 



From end of intermaxillaries to end of condyles 11.70 



Greatest width 7.50 



height above base of cranium 3. 60 



Distance between orbits 2.80 



orbital processes 3.85 



Nasal bones, length 3. 10 



width before 1.00 



Narrowest part of muzzle behind the canines 2.58 



Upper incisors from front to molars.- 2.90 



to hinder margin of palate 6.15 



width between external edges -'- 1.37 



Upper molars, length taken together 2. 35 



least distance between 1. 60 



From intermaxillary to end of nasals ...... 5.^5 



commencement of orbit 4.60 



Between postorbital points to occiput 7.20 



postorbital points to end of nasals - * 1* 



end of intermaxillary 6. 27 



Ursus Americanus. 



Morehouse parish, La. 



987. <J. 



Inches. 



lOOths of length. 



1.00 

 .95 

 .60 

 .29 

 .22 

 .31 

 .26 

 .08 

 .20 

 .23 

 .50 

 .11 

 .19 

 .13 

 .42 

 .37 

 .58 

 .33 

 .50 



Ursua Americanus. 



Saranac Lake, N. Y. 



2250. 



Inches. 



10.70 

 10.50 

 7.60 

 3.40 

 2.77 

 -1.16 

 2.50 

 1.20 

 2.27 

 2.40 

 6.33 

 1.^0 

 1.82 

 1.74 

 4.40 

 3.70 

 6.40 

 3.37 

 5.20 



lOOths oflength. 



1.00 

 .98 

 .71 

 .31 

 .25 

 .38 

 .23 

 .11 

 .21 

 .22 

 .49 

 .11 

 .17 

 .16 

 .41 

 .34 

 .59 

 .31 

 .48 



