419 



They all differ from Ursus spelceus in the minor elevation of 

 the forehead, and, what is more decisive, in the smaller rela- 

 tive sizes of the last molar, upper jaw; they also retain the 

 first premolar. The largest of the three skulls presents a 

 close correspondence of general form and of flatness of fore- 

 head with the largest of our old male skulls of Ursus mari- 

 timus, but the molars are relatively larger, especially the 

 last, in tlie Irish skull ; this is decisive against Ursus mari- 

 timus. I regret that I have no skull at command of a good 

 old male t7. yeroa:. A young female skull of that species indi- 

 cates the proportions of the molars to be similar to those in 

 the Irish specimens; but then the proportions of the teeth in 

 question are likewise those of Ursus arctos; and the two smaller 

 skulls from Ireland show an elevation of forehead which, 

 though less than in U. spelceus, is greater than in any speci- 

 men or figure that I have seen of U.ferox. There remains, 

 therefore, for comparison, the varieties of Ursus arctos, for the 

 tropical Indian and Malayan bears have characteristics too 

 well-marked and well-known to be dwelt on. 



" The great black variety of the European Ursus arctos 

 is that to which the Irish skulls offer the nearest resem- 

 blance. I can find no character in the casts of the skulls 

 which you have sent that I could point to as a specific 

 distinction; but then I must add, that 1 feel equal dif- 

 ficulty in laying down the specific distinction between the 

 Ursus priscus of Goldfuss from Gailenreuth cavern, and 

 the existing largest varieties of Ursus arctos, or the Irish 

 bears. These specimens have much strengthened, if not 

 quite confirmed, a growing suspicion that U. priscus is speci- 

 fically identical with, and was the progenitor of, our European 

 U. arctos ; at the same time, they prove that U. priscus was not 

 the mere female, as M. De Blainville believes, of U. spelceus. 

 Your three specimens are all of the same species ; the largest 

 is the male, the smallest, with well-worn molars, the female. 

 Now, the large male skull establishes the specific distinction 



