AMERICAN BEAR. 453 



they are said to be blind for nearly the space of a 

 month. 



AMERICAN BEAR. 



Ursus Americanus. U. niger, gula genisque fcrrugincis. Lin. 



Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 101. Pall. spic. zool. 14. p. 6. 26. 

 Black Bear, with ferruginous cheeks and throat. 

 Black Bear. Pennant Quadr. 2.^4. Arct. zool. ed. 2. No. 19. 



THIS, which is now considered as a distinct 

 species, and not to be confounded with the Black 

 Bear of Europe, has a long, pointed nose, and 

 narrow forehead : the cheeks and throat of a yel- 

 lowish brown colour; the hair on the whole body 

 and limbs of a glossy black, smoother and shorter 

 than that of the European kind. It is also said 

 to be, in general, smaller than the European Bear, 

 though instances have been known in which its 

 size, at least, equalled the European, since Mr. 

 Bartram assures us, that a Bear was killed in Flo- 

 rida which weighed four hundred pounds. 



This animal inhabits all the northern parts of 

 America, migrating occasionally from the north- 

 ern to the more southerly parts in quest of food, 

 which is said to be entirely vegetable ; and it is 

 even affirmed, that, when pressed by extreme 

 want, they will still neglect all animal food when- 

 ever they can obtain a supply of roots and grain. 

 They, however, sometimes destroy fish, and par- 

 ticularly herrings, when these fish happen to come 

 up into the creeks in shoals. They are said to 



