THE BEAR FAMILY. 121 



POLAR BEAR. 



The Polar Bear (Ursus-maritimus), has a smaller and 

 more elongated head, longer neck, shorter ears, and 

 smaller teeth than other Bears; and is also distinguished 

 by the white coat which it retains all the year round. 

 In this respect it differs from other white mammals, who 

 generally exchange their winter dress for one of darker 

 color in the summer. This animal is one of the largest 

 members of the Bear family. In attacking its enemies 

 it does not hug or strike with its claws like the others 

 of its kind, but bites; stories of its ferocity have how- 

 ever been greatly exaggerated, for unless rendered fierce 

 by hunger or an attack it is rarely known to molest a 

 man. The most dangerous and aggressive of the species 

 is the large male of a yellowish or dirty white tinge. A 

 large, fat male Polar Bear will sometimes weigh from 

 600 to 700 pounds, and measure as much as nine feet. 

 The speed of the Polar Bear is considerable, but Indians 

 have been known to overtake and kill it after a fair chase. 



The Polar Bear is found in the Arctic regions of both 

 hemispheres, and generally lives on the coasts of islands 

 surrounded by ice although it is often found on ice 

 fields far out at sea. Its principal food consists of the 

 flesh of Seals and Walruses, but it also eats sea weed, 

 grass, lichens and smaller fish. 



In the Hudson's Bay district the females proceed to 

 hibernate for the purpose of producing their young about 

 the end of September and reappear in the spring, two 

 cubs generally being produced at a birth. Hibernation 

 takes place on some distant island. The males accompany 

 their consorts to their resting place, but leave them 

 there, while they return to the coast to hunt throughout 

 the winter. 



The fur of the Black, Brown and Grizzly Bear is made 

 into muffs and neck pieces as well as sleigh robes and 

 rugs ; but the skin of the Polar Bear is only used for floor 

 rugs. 



