648 



APPENDIX. 



[No. V. 



journey, some notices relative to the Zoology of Hudson's Bay : these, and the infor- 

 mation collected by Pennant in his Arctic Zoology, are the only general authorities on 

 the subject. 



The descriptions of the present collections with the notices of these animals, speci- 

 mens of which it would hare been impossible, on account of their size, to have procured 

 and brought home, will include all the important quadrupeds of the northern part of 

 the American continent. It will introduce some novelties to the notice of the Zoologist ; 

 rectify, several points respecting species hitherto imperfectly known, or erroneously 

 placed ; and will add some information as to others, whose specific names and characters 

 have been already correctly established. 



As the specimens of most of the animals which supply the furs imported by the 

 Hudson's Bay Company formed part of the collection, it appeared very desirable that 

 these should be referred to and compared with samples of the skins imported. A 

 request was accordingly addressed to the Governor and Committee, for permission to 

 have the temporary use of a collection of these skins for such purpose, which was 

 promptly and obligingly complied with : in consequence, there will be found, under the 

 different subjects described, some notice of every kind of skin which is usually 

 imported by the company. 



The arrangement of Cuvier, as well as the generic names used by him in the Regne 

 Animal, have been adopted and followed in every instance in the account of the 

 Quadrupeds. 



Ursus Maritimus, Polar Bear, 



Was met with on the shores of Hudson's Bay. It is distinguished from other 

 species of the same genus, by its superior size, its smaller head and elongated neck 

 its thick and powerful limbs, and its uniform yellowish-white colour. It is rarely 

 and only accidentally seen inland, as it supports itself by preying on animals which 

 live in the sea or on the shores ; it appears to pass a great portion of its existence 

 in the water, reposing occasionally on land, but more frequently on the ice. 



Ursus Americanus. Black Bear. 



This is the Common Bear of America, and has been distinguished and separated 

 by Pallas, from the European Bear, (Ursus Arctos,) from which it differs in several 

 points, and especially in having a greater number of teeth ; individuals vary in 

 colour from black to different shades of brown, and are known to the traders under 

 the different names of Black, Brown, Cinnamon, and Grey Bears. They live chiefly 

 on fruits and vegetables, and their flesh is .much esteemed as food. The Hudson's 

 Bay Company imported, in 1822, near 3000 skins of these animals. They are met 

 with over the whole country through which the Expedition passed, and even far to the 



