940 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON THE FEET 
for instance, that the area behind the digital pads in the Sloth 
Bear is naked, whereas it is hairy in others. But he does not 
appear to have noticed the marked differences presented by the 
carpal area in the matter of hairiness and nakedness in various 
species, and his statement that in 7 halassarctos the *‘ soles of the 
feet are hairy with a few callous pads, whereas in Ursus, Helarctos, 
and Melursus they are bald and callous,” gives very little idea of 
the true state of affairs (see Cat. Carn. ete. Mammalia, pp. 217- 
237, 1869). 
Judged by the characters discussed in this paper, the following 
genera seem to me worthy of admission—Velursus, Helarctos, 
Tremarctos, Ursus, and Thalarctos. They may be defined as 
follows :— 
a. Digital pads fused almost up to their distal ends, depression 
between them and the plantar pad of both fore and hind feet 
naked; carpal area of fore paw naked with large rounded 
external and smaller internal pads; integument of fore leg 
behind carpal area scantily covered with short hairs; snout 
highly mobile, rhinarium very large, extending to edge of lip 
as a broad moist area and overhanging the nostrils above ...... Melursus. 
6. Digital pads separated throughout their length, depression 
between them and the plantar pads more or less hairy; 
integument behind carpal area thickly covered with hair; 
snout less mobile, rhinarium smaller and not overhanging the 
nostrils. 
ec. Carpal area as in Melwrsus, naked and furnished with a 
larger rounded external and a smaller internal pad. 
d, Hair on upper lip not extending beneath the nostrils in 
front, but leaving a comparatively wide moist median 
area continuous with the rhinarium above ................... Helarctos*. 
d’, Hair on upper lip extending nearly to middle line and 
leaving only a narrow naked strip of skin continuous 
Wahd ATI NO eeVUREOLUINy. RUA SSH ARN GReUREaR ahcearsbsnesnciaeraesuiice, | LhiAlasHeuhaner: 
ce’. Carpal area behind plantar pad thickly hairy, carpal pads 
represented by a single rounded eminence on the outer side, 
as in the Canidew and Felidae, and sometimes by a smaller 
one as well on the inner side ; rhinarium approximately as 
in Tremarctos. 
«. Pads large as in the preceding genera; sole of hind foot 
behind the plantar pad naked, except sometimes for an 
ingrowth of hair internally behind the plantar pad......... Ursus. 
e’. Pads smaller; sole’ of hind foot behind plantar pad over- 
erown with hair except for a small naked flat pad near 
the external border ceanisscbespermcee PLLC Chose 
Melursus, Helarctos, and Thalarctos ave monotypical. T'vrem- 
arctos contains two well-defined species, namely thibetanus and 
ornatus (type), which I cannot distinguish externally by any 
characters of generic value in my opinion. Nevertheless, the 
difference in the smoothness of the integument behind the first 
and fifth digital pads in thibetanus and its hairiness in ornatus is 
very curious. Ursus contains a doubtful number of species and 
subspecies, but I am not acquainted with any external features 
* This genus, or subgenus, is usually defined by the shortness and breadth of the 
skull, smallness of the ears, length of the tongue, etc. ] 
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