anb Cftasificatfon 



of their ranges. Persons having the means and 

 ambition to hunt big game may be assured that 

 bears are still common in many parts of British 

 Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska, and that 

 much additional material is absolutely required 

 to settle questions still in doubt. . . . 



"Some writers have advanced the view that the 

 various species of bears freely interbreed. Let those 

 so minded ask themselves the question, If pro- 

 miscuous interbreeding were to take place, what 

 would become of the species? From the nature of 

 the case, the stability of species depends on the 

 rarity of crossings with other species, for if inter- 

 breeding were to take place frequently the species 

 so interbreeding would of course cease to exist, 

 having merged into a common hybrid. Hybrids 

 now and then occur, particularly in zoological 

 gardens, but among wild animals hi their native 

 haunts they are exceedingly rare. 



"The number of species here given will appear 

 to many as preposterous. To all such I extend a 

 cordial invitation to visit the National Museum 

 and see for themselves what the bear skulls show. 

 Recognition of species is a matter of interpreta- 

 tion. If the material is adequate there can be 

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