86 PROF. E. LONNBERGf : REMARKS ON 



(wliich is a common thing among Bears), the pattern thus described 

 may be recognized on Lydekker's plate, and on Sven Hedin's 

 photos, published by Leche in his report on the zoological speci- 

 mens collected by that explorer ('Scientific Results of a Journey 

 in Central Asia, 1899-1902,' vol. vi. part 1, Stockholm, 1904). 

 It will appear from this, as well as from the descriptions by 

 various authors, that, in spite of the diflferences in colour 

 which have been observed on Bears named " pj^uinostis " or 

 ^^ lagomi/iarms," there is a certain pattern common to all. Our 

 knowledge about these Bears is very unsatisfactory, and it is for 

 the present impossible to say whether they constitute more than 

 one species or subspecies; but, nevertheless, they appear to form 

 together a systematic unit, which differs from the common Ursus 

 arctos or the genus Ursus s. str., to which they usually have been 

 referred, This may be proved by the structure of the feet and 

 the teeth, as will be shown beloAv. 



Through the investigations of Mr. R. I. Pocock, it has been proved 

 that the Bears form several natural groups (by him considered as 

 genera), which may be distinguished by means of the different 

 structure of their feet. The disposition of hairiness and naked- 

 ness, and the degree in which the digital pads are free from or 

 connected with each other, give the distinguishing characteristics. 



An examination of the feet of this 2^'>'uinosus Bear gives the 

 following results : — 



The digital pads of the second, third, and fourth fingers are 

 basally closely connected, so that there are only shallow" depres- 

 sions between them. The corresponding depression between the 

 fourth and fifth fingers is somewhat broader and more pronounced, 

 while the cleft between the second and first is still deeper. The 

 interspaces between the digital pads are, however, in all cases 

 completely naked. The digital pads of the fifth and, somewhat 

 more narrowly, the first fingers, are connected by a naked area 

 with the plantar (palmar) pad. Between the latter and the 

 digital pads of the second, third, and fourth fingers there is a 

 matting of rather thick and long hairs which are directed for- 

 ward so as to partly cover the basal parts of the digital pads. 

 This matting appears continuous, but a closer examination proves 

 that it really consists of four patches, because, if the hairs are 

 divided, there is found a hairless tract connecting each digital 

 pad with the plantar pad, although this is concealed by the over- 

 lying hairs {cf. PI. I. figs. 1 & 2). 



The plantar pad is ti-ansverse and somewhat broader on the 

 lateral side. In the present specimen there is only a slight crease 

 visible, opposite the interdigital space between the second and 

 third fingers. It is very widely separated from the carpal pad 

 by a broad and thickly hairy area. The latter pad is rather 

 small, somewhat elongate in shape, but not transversely 

 expanded. 



With regard to the relation between the plantar pad and the 

 carpal pad, our pruinosus Bear thus resembles Euarctos, Ursus, 



