MAMMALIA 



95 



widely distributed, they are not found in Africa south of the 

 Sahara, nor in the Australian region, and are but scantily repre- 

 sented in South America. The Common or Brown Bear {Ursus 

 urcios) (fig. 63), which is the species once native to Britain, is 



Fig, 62. — The Common Raccoon {Procyon loior) 



found in suitable localities throughout the whole extent of the Old 

 World north of the Atlas and Himalaya ranges. He figures as 

 the companion of wolf and fox in many fables and stories. 

 Although the Brown Bear is no mean antagonist, it is surpassed 

 both in size and fierceness by the Grizzly Bear ( Ursus ferox) of 

 the Rocky Mountains. The Polar Bear {Ursus maritimus) is of 

 even greater size, and is indeed the largest living carnivore. 



