tG8 



V KllTEBRATA. 





POLAlt BEAKS IN THE HENAGEBEB OF THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, LOKDON. 



short, even on the head, neck, and upper part of the hack; long-, fine, and inclined to he woolly on 

 the hinder parts, legs, and belly. The sole of the foot exhibits a beautiful instance of adaptation 

 of means to an end, for it is almost entirely covered with longhair, affording the animal a firm 



" 1 1 j l^ on the ice. The claws arc black, not much curved, thick, and short. 



The accounts given of the size, strength, and ferocity of this animal by the early navigators 

 are appalling; but the accuracy of modern investigation has dissipated a good deal of tbe awe 

 with which it was regarded, and lias gone far to prove that the excited imagination of some of 

 the narrators has led them beyond the truth. 



The gallant adventurers who conducted the modem northern expeditions, penetrated far 

 beyond the points formerly reached, and had opportunities of observing numbers of Polar hears. 

 The greatest length from nose to tail, recorded by Captain Phipps, is seven feet one inch, the 

 weight of the beast being six hundred and ten pounds. Sir John Ross records the measurement 

 of seven feet ten inches, and the weight of eleven hundred and sixty pounds; and Captain Lyon 

 states thai one which was unusually large, measured eight feel seven and a half inches, and 

 weighed sixteen hundred pounds! The greater number of full-grown individuals are spoken of as 

 far inferior to these in dimensions and weight. Fine specimens of this animal may he seen at 

 the gardens of the Zoological Society in London, and the Garden of Plants, Paris. 



Pennant state- that Polar bears are frequent on all the Asiatic coasts of the Frozen Ocean, 

 from the mouth of the < >l>i eastward, and that they abound in Nova Zembla, Cherry Island, 

 Spitsbergen, Greenland, Labrador, and the coast- of Baffin's and Hudson's hays, hut that they 

 are unknown on the shores of the White Sea. Sir Edward Parry saw them within Barrow's 

 Straits as far as Melville Island; and, during his daring boat-voyage, beyond 82° X. latitude. 

 Sir John Richardson says thai the limit of their incursions southward on the shores of Hudson's 



