BLACK, BROWN, OR CINNAMON BEAR. 



Ursus americanus. — Pallas. (? var. cinnanioneus). 



ONLY two species of the genus Ursits are found within the 

 limits of the United States. These are the Grizzly, the 

 largest and most powerful of its family, and the Black Bear, from 

 which the Cinnamon Bear of authors is by some held to be dis- 

 tinct. Old hunters however say that they have found both Brown 

 and Cinnamon cubs in the same litter with Black ones, and no 

 distinctions except color seem to have been established between 

 the Black and Cinnamon Bears. We notice an analogous occur- 

 rence among the squirrel-tribe, the grey and black having been 

 proved to be identical. The question however need not be dis- 

 cussed here ; an able authority will soon give an opinion on the 

 subject, and we await his dictum. 



The Black Bear is peculiar to no particular section of North 

 America but is found from Maine to Texas, from Florida to 

 Washington Territory. It is least abundant or perhaps is not 

 found at all on the high dry plains of the far west, for it is an ani- 

 mal of the woods and swamps, while its cousin the Grizzly prefers 

 the steep mountain side with its covering of rocks and " down 

 timber," or wanders through the plains and open river valleys m 

 his search for roots, mice and beetles. Nowhere is the former 

 more abundant than in the dense swamps of the Southern States, 

 and it seems to know right well that among these tangled cane- 

 brakes it will find safety from pursuit as well as abundance of 

 food. The Black Bear is but little more than one-quarLer the size 

 of an adult Grizzly, and, as his name implies, is throughout of a 

 shining black color. The muzzle, however, is usually tan color 

 and sometimes specimens are killed which have a white mark on 

 the throat. The so-called Cinnamon Bear varies in color from a 

 deep rich brown to a light yellow and is chiefly confined to the 



