298 



CARNIVOEA 



Geographical distribution. — North Polar region, south to 

 northernmost continental coasts. 



Characters. — Similar to Ursus, but cheek-teeth much less 

 robust, the combined length of the two upper molars not equal 

 to width of palate, and canines and incisors enlarged and more 

 prehensive in general form. 



Remarks. — The genus Thalarctos, though not very strongly 

 differentiated from Ursus, is a well defined and perfectly natural 

 group. 



THALARCTOS MARITIMUS PhippS. 



1774. Ursus maritimus Phipps, Voyage toward North Pole, p. 185 (Spitz- 

 bergen). 

 1776. Ursus marinus Pallas, Beise duroh verschiedene Provinzen des 



russisehen Beiohs, in, p. 691 (Arctic Ocean). 

 1792. Ursus polaris Shaw, Museum Leverianum, l, p. 7 (Benaming of 



marinus). 

 1862. Thalarctos maritimus Gray, Gatal. Bones Mamm. Brit. Mus., p. 105. 

 1908. ? Thalassarctos jenaensis Knottnerus-Meyer, Sitz.-Ber. Gesellsch. 



Naturforsch. Freunde, Berlin, p. 184, July, 1908 (Jena Island, 



Spitzbergen). 

 1908. ? Thalassarctos spitzbergensis Knottnerus-Meyer, Sitz.-Ber. Gesellsch. 



Naturforsch. Preunde, Berlin, p. 184, July, 1908 (Seven Island, 



Spitzbergen). 

 1910. Ursus (Thalassarctos) maritimus Trouessart, Paune Mamm. d'Europe, 



p. 66. 



Type locality. — Spitzbergen. 



Geographical distribution. — Arctic Ocean, south on floating ice 

 occasionally to the northern coast of Norway. Details of 

 distribution unknown. 



Diagnosis. — General characters as in the genus ; size very 

 large ; colour uniform whitish or buffy. 



External characters. — Form longer and less heavy than in 

 Ursus arctos, the neck noticeably longer and head longer and 

 more pointed ; ear actually as well as relatively shorter ; fore 

 foot with palmar tubercles and balls of toes essentially as in 

 U. arctos but smaller ; pad on hind foot without backward 

 continuation along inner portion of sole ; claws much less 

 elongated than in U. arctos, not strongly curved, but with acute 

 points and well developed cutting edges. Fur very dense, its 

 texture almost seal-like in the short summer coat. 



Colour. — Entire animal a uniform whitish or buffy, the winter 

 pelage tending to be a creamy-white, the summer coat yellowish 

 buff. 



Skull. — The skull is considerably larger than that of Ursus 

 arctos, with relatively longer brain-case, deeper, wider rostrum, 

 and less elevated frontal region ; lambdal region less produced 

 backward than in Ursus arctos, the condyles usually visible when 

 skull is viewed from above. Base of brain-case essentially as in 

 U. arctos, but portion at base of condyles more narrowed and 



