NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. S3 



Description of the Species.— This is a bear of small size, much 

 below the dimensions and weight of the average black bear 

 (Urstis americamis) . In general appearance its skin is like that 

 of a long-furred and particularly handsome polar bear. Its color 

 is clear, creamy white, with no trace of brown, black, or any 

 other dark color. In the type specimen, on the upper neck and 

 head, and on the forelegs, the yellowish creamy tint is well 

 defined. The hair is all white, down to the roots ; and on the 

 entire animal there is not one brown or black hair. 



The ears are very small, and the hair upon them is short and 

 rather straight. 



The pelage of the type specimen is very long, fine, abundant, 

 and in places of silky softness. The hair grows in tufts, and 

 both in quality and manner of growth it distinctly resembles the 

 pelage of the Alaskan brown bears, rather than the shorter, 

 smoothly-trimmed coat of the black bear. The basal half of the 

 pelage is very fine, woolly and warm, and only the tip of the 

 terminal portion is straightened out to form the rain-coat. Only 

 on the forehead, muzzle and lower portions of the limbs does 

 the hair grow short, and develop the straight and stiff character 

 that is necessary, at those points, for the comfort of the animal. 

 The pelage on the two young specimens consists of a dense coat 

 of fine, woolly hair, through which appears a scattering growth 

 of long, straight hairs. Both these skins are everywhere creamy 

 white. 



The claws are dull white, thin, and strongly curved, repre- 

 senting about 120° of a perfect circle, ijg inches in diameter 

 for the middle front claw. 



The teeth differ widely from those of the polar bear, and indi- 

 cate relationship to the American black bear, {Ursits ainericainis). 



The dental formula is as follows: 



Incisors ; Canines ; Premolars — '—; Molars 



3-3 i-i 3-3 3-3 



MEASUREMENTS. 



A'o. I. — Type specimen. Flat skin of an adult female. 



Length of skin, end of nose to root of tail 54-50 '"• 



Length across forelegs, base to base of claws. . . . 46.50 



Width of skin across middle of body 24.00 



Height of ear 3-^^ 



