INTRODUCTORY NOTES. 9 



and even the grizzly was thought doubtful, 

 a slight variation of the bear of Europe. 



But the careful study of bears' skulls has 

 changed all that, and our highest authority 

 on bears, Dr. C. Hart Merriam of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, now recognizes 

 not less than ten species of bear in the limits 

 of the United States and Alaska. 



In his latest paper (1896), a "Preliminary 

 Synopsis of the American Bears," Dr. Mer- 

 riam groups these animals as follows : 



I. POLAR BEARS. 



1. POLAR BEAR: Thalarctos maritimus 

 Linnaeus. Found on all Arctic shores. 



II. BLACK BEARS. 



2. COMMON BLACK BEAR (sometimes 

 brown or cinnamon) : Ursus americanus 

 Pallas. Found throughout the United 

 States. 



3. YELLOW BEAR (sometimes black or 

 brown) : Ursus luteolus Griffith. Swamps 

 of Louisiana and Texas. 



4. EVERGLADE BEAR: Ursus floridanus 

 Merriam. Everglades of Florida. 



5. GLACIER BEAR: Ursus emmonsi Dall. 

 About Mount St. Elias. 



