46 



SUBKINGDOM VEETEBBATA, 

 mg. B8. 



Skeleton, of Bear. 



only from necessity, their preference being for roots, nutS; 

 honey, and even insects. The single American genus is thus 

 tabulated : 



URSID/C. 



Terrestrial only. 

 Terrestrial and arboreal 



Maritime. 



Soles of the > Ursua horribilis, Grizdy Bear, 

 FEET NAKED. 3 '* americanus, Black Bear. 



( Soles of the ^ 

 j feet covered > 

 ( tvith haie. ) 



maritimus, White Bear. 



The Grizzly Bear, so called because of the intermixture in 

 its fur of grayish hairs with black and brown, is the most 

 ferocious of the North American carnivora. Its sharp, 

 powerful claws, often five inches long, move independently 

 of one another^ and, when the animal strikes with its paws, 

 cut like so many chisels. Its strength enables it to carry off 

 a bison, and dig a pit in which to bury it.* 



Black Bear. — While the Grizzly Bear is limited to the 

 Rocky Mountain regions, the Black Bear, under a variety of 

 names, is distributed over JS'orth America. An expert 



* Such ie the terror inspired by this formidable beast, thtit no other animal will 

 dare to tuuch a deer which i t has killed and left behind ; the simple print of the hearts 

 foot frightening away even a hungry wolf. Its tail is very short and entirely 

 hidden beneath it? fur. The Indians sometimes amuse themselves with the perplex- 

 ity of persons who arc ignorant of this fact, by requesting them to lift the carcass ot 

 a Grizzly which they say is easily done if seized by the tail.— (Tf^d.l 



