64 NOKTH AMERICAN FAUWA. [No. 22, 



Ursus americanus Pallas. Black Bear. 



Black bears are rather numerous throughout the region between 

 Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay, and manj' skins are annually traded 

 at all the posts. Toward the northward they become less common. 

 One was seen near Robinson Portage by Mr. W. C. King, who passed 

 this point a day or two ahead of us on his way toward York Factory. 

 This bear was feeding on the piles of Mayflies (Ephemeridse), which 

 perish in myriads and are washed up on the shores in long ' wind- 

 rows.' These arc said to constitute a favorite food of the bear 



A number of skulls were obtained from Oxford Lake, where the 

 black bear is rather common. On our return journey we obtained an 

 immature skull at York Factory, and saw a bear's track on the banks 

 of Steel River a few miles below the mouth of Fox River. 



Dr. Bell killed a black bear on Churchill River, about 100 miles 

 from its mouth.'' 



Ursus richardsoni Swainson. Barren Ground Bear. 



AVhile at Fort Churchill I made inquiries in regard to the Barren 

 Ground bear, but the official in charge, Mr. Alston, knew nothing of 

 such a species. Dr. Bell, speaking of the Barren Ground bear, saj^s: 



In the barren grounds to the northwest of Hudson's Bay, I have been told that a 

 large bear is found, which the Eskimo consider a variety of the polar bear, which 

 has adopted a terrestrial life, and to which they have given the name of " blue " or 

 "grey " bear. * * * This bear is found in the barren grounds south of Hudson's 

 Strait. « 



While on his journey of exploration Hearne saw the skin of an 

 enormous grizzled bear at the tents of the Indians on the Copper 

 River.* This was probably the skin of this species. If the animal 

 extends its range to the ^'icinity of Hudson Bay it must be very rai'e. 



Thalarctos maritimus (Phipps). Polar Bear. 



We obtained several skulls at York Factory through the kindness 

 of Dr. Milne and Mr. G. B. Boucher. While we were traveling 

 between York Factory and Fort Churchill a party of Indians reported 

 seeing a white bear, which swam out to sea on perceiving them.- On 

 August 9, below Cape Eskimo, while wo were awaiting the rise of 

 the tide so that we could land, we saw a polar bear on the tundra. 

 He was rapidly quartering the rolling ground in search of food. A 

 few days later another was seen several miles north of our camp. 

 While traveling down the coast we saw several places where the 

 animals had lain in ,the rank beach grass. Mr. Boucher killed a 

 female and her two cubs on the coast between York Factory and Cape 

 Tatnam about the middle of August. 



aRept. Prog. Can. Geol. Surv., 1882-3-4, App. II, p. 51DD (1885). 

 b Journey * * * to the Northern Ocean, p. 372, 1795. 



