138 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Procyon lotor (Linnaeus) Racoon 



1758 [Ursus] lotor Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10. 1:48. (Eastern 



United States) 

 1780 Procyon lotor Storr, ^'Prodr. raeth. mamm." 



Yellowish brown, the hairs tipped with black ; tail ringed with black ; a black 

 area about eye. Total length, 830 (32f ) ; tail vertebrae, 250 (9^) ; hind foot, 

 120 (4f). (lotor; Lat., one who washes) 



The racoon occurs throughout the forested regions of North America 

 south of the lower edge of the boreal ^one. The form found within 

 our limits is typical Procyon lotor lotor. In Florida this is 

 replaced by P. lotor elucus Bangs. 



Family Ursidae Bears 

 Whole sole to heel applied to ground in walking; claws not retractile; hind 

 toes 5; teeth 40 to 42; size very large; tail rudimentary. (Ursidae; genus 

 U r s u 8 ) 



The family Ursidae is widely distributed throughout both hemi- 

 spheres outside of Africa and AustraUa. Four genera are usually recog- 

 nized, but this number will doubtless be increased. Two occur in North 

 America and both of these are found within our limits. 



GENERA OF URSIDAE 



Head long and narrow ; cheek teeth relatively small and weak ; 



color always white .. — Thalarctos 



Head short and broad ; cheek teeth relatively large and strong ; 



color never white Ursus 



Genus Thalarctos Gray 



1825 Thalarctos Gray, Annals of philosophy, n. s. July 1825. 10:62. Type 

 Ursus maritimus Linnaeus. (Thalarctos polaris Gray) 

 Head long and narrow; cheek teeth small and weak relatively to size of 

 .s'knW] color always lohite, (Thalarctos; Gk., sea bear) 



The genus Thalarctos occurs in the polar regions of both eastern 

 and western hemispheres. Only one species is at present recognized. 



Thalarctos maritimus (Phipps) Polar bear 



1774 Ursus maritimus Phipps. A voyage toward the north pole, p. 185. 

 (Spitzbergen) 



1899 Thalarctos maritimus Stejneger, Science. 15 Sep. 1899. 10 : 378. 

 White at all seasons. Total length, 2135 (7 ft). (maritimus Lat., maritime) 

 The range of the polar bear in eastern North America extends as far 



south on the Atlantic coast of Labrador as the strait of Belle Isle. The 



animal is nowhere found far away from salt water. 



