MAMMALS. 



259 



In Petroffs Report on tlie Populatiou, Industries, and Resources of Alaska, Census Office, 

 1SS4, he classes the Cinnamon and tlie Grizzly Bears together under the heading of Brown Bears, 

 or Ursus richanlsoni, and ignores the existence of the present animal. 



The very light color of this species would render the name of Yellow Bear suitable for it. 



The half-dozen skins which came under my notice were all very heavily furred, and of a dingy 

 yellowish, in some cases approaching a whitish, hut not in the least; suggesting an albino. The fnr 

 was dense and matted in all, and very much heavier than on the other bears taken at the same 

 time and place. Tlie skins are not large, appearing to average about the size of a well-grown 

 Black Bear, and never reaching the great size of a large Ciunauion Bear. 



The facts regarding its distribution were secured from the fur traders, wlio could not furnish 

 auythiug regarding its habits. The latter are probably not peculiar unless the animal's light color 

 and heavy fur indicate that it spends a smaller part of the winter in its den than the other 

 species, which is not likely, as its range is iu the part of the continent where the cold in winter is 

 very great and long periods of very low temperature prevail. 



PHOCID.S:. 



Erignathus EARBATUiS (Fabr.). Bearded Seal (Esk. Mu-lhU). 



Three skulls of this seal were obtained. Xo. 20783, adult, though not old, has the teeth worn 

 down to the roots, a condition which seems to be arrived at quite early in this species. Xos. 21400, 

 2146, having a basicranial length of 191""" and 187™™, respectively, are still young; the occipito- 

 sphenoidal and other sutures are still open. 



List of specimens. 



Measurements of three skulls. 



Buxji-ophiml notes. — The present species is the largest of the hair seals found on the Alaskan 

 coast, and the males reach a weight of six or eight hundred pounds ; the females arc somewhat 

 smaller. Its distribution is more northerly than that of the Harbor Ser.l. On the south the limit 

 of its range coincides very closely with the northern limit of the range of the Sea Lion. 



