86 FLESH-EATERS 



Length, head and body, 9% inches; tail, 3^ inch; height, 5 

 inches; circumference of chest, 6% inches; hind foot lyi 

 inches by ^ inch; weight, 15 ounces. This cub was born 

 on January 17. 



All American bears, except the polar, show great changes 

 in the color of their pelage at different seasons of the year. 

 In the late summer the new pelage is darkest, but by the 

 following spring, the old coat has grown so much lighter in 

 color that the wearer seems like a different individual. The 

 shedding period is from May 1 to August 1. 



North American Bears. — Leaving out of count the sub- 

 species, and the species of which we know little or nothing, 

 the world contains fourteen well-marked types of bears. 

 Of these, eight inhabit Asia and Europe, four are found 

 in North America, one is found all around the north pole, 

 and one in South America. From both the Old World 

 and North America, quite a number of additional species 

 and subspecies have been described; but it must be remem- 

 bered that at present we are dealing only with conspicuous 

 types. 



Owing to puzzling variations in color, claws, and skulls, 

 and the great difficulty of bringing together several hundred 

 adult skins with skulls, it is at present impossible to state 

 precisely how many different kinds of bears inhabit this con- 

 tinent, or how they are related. In the near future, how- 

 ever, many existing questions will be settled; and until then 

 the wisest course for the student and the general reader is 

 to accept only well-known facts and to wait with patience for 

 more. 



