1907,] MR. H. SCHERREN ON HYBRID BEARS. 433 



soit bien rarement : entre lesquels i'en ay observe deux, qu'on 

 avoit donne a monseigneur le marquis de Trans : I'un desquels il 

 fist present a monsieur le Conte d'Alphestan, ambassadeur de 

 I'Empereur : I'autre qu'il a faict amener en France, sur lequel i'ay 

 fait retirer cestuy au naturel, sans que le peintre y ait rien 

 obmis." 



The first well-established case of hybridity in Bears appears to 

 have occurred in the Society's Gardens *, between a Black Bear c? 

 {Ursus americanus) and a European Brown Bear § (C". arctos). 

 Copulation was observed in May 1859, and on December 31st 

 three cubs were born, " naked and blind^ and about the size of a 

 full-grown rat." One cub was carried by the dam in her mouth 

 for a day or two ; and as it disappeared it was supposed that she 

 devoured it. At the age of five weeks the surv^iving cubs ( c? , $ ) 

 were "as large as a common rabbit. Their eyes began to open 

 by this time ; they were co\^ered with a short thick fur, and were 

 nearly black." This last observation is of some value, as it 

 suppoi'ts those of other authorities with regard to the coloration 

 of the hybrid cubs following that of the male. Mr. Bartlett did 

 not give the duration of life, but reference to the Occurrence 

 Book shows that they died on Feb. 14, 1860. 



The next case occurred in the Zoological Garden, Cologne, the 

 male parent being a European Brown Bear (T/. arctos) and the 

 female a Grizzly Bear ( U. horrihilis). Prof. H. Alexander Pagen- 

 stecher, of Heidelberg, visited the Gardens in Paris, Lyons, and 

 Cologne, and the following passage t occurs in his account of what 

 he saw in the city last-named : — 



" Von Baubthieren haben wir namentlich noch den Baren- 

 zwinger, ausgezeichnet durch die jungen Bastarde vom gewohn- 

 lichen braunen Baren und der grauen Barin, welche in dem 

 weiten Kafige trotz ihres gewaltigen Korpers mit solcher Schnel- 

 ligkeit umherrannte, dass man von der eminenten Gefahi4ichkeit 

 des Tiiieres in der Freiheit eine genligende Vorstellung zu erlangen 

 vermochte." 



There seems to be no doubt about the event, but particulars 

 were not entered at the time in the records of the Garden. 

 Dr. Wunderlich, in reply to my enquiries, regretted that he could 

 add nothing to the foregoing account, and informed me that no 

 one now in the Garden remembered the hybrids. 



Hanover Zoological Garden is said to have been the scene 

 of the third case, about which, however, some doubt exists. 

 Dr. Theodore Kottnerus-Meyer, writing on Mammalian Hybrids $, 

 says : — 



" In den achtziger Jahren .... besass der Hannoversche 



* A. D. Bartlett, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 130. 



t ' Zoologischer Gavteu,' 1867, pp. 287, 288. 



T ' Zoologischer Garten,' 1904-, p. 61. 



