^ inter in a state of repose and abstinence*, 
Emerging only at distant intervals from his 
3en, and again concealing himself in his re- 
peat till the approach of the vernal season. 
[The females are said to continue in this state 
pinch longer than the males, and it is during 
pis period that they bring forth their young, 
Much are commonly two in number. These 
the antients imagined to be nearly shapeless 
masses, gradually licked and fashioned into 
regular form by the parent ; an opinion now 
[sufficiently exploded. The young, however, 
though not shapeless, have a different aspect 
ifronr the grown animal ; the snout being much 
sharper, and their colour yellowish: they 
are said to be blind for nearly the space of "a 
month. 
2. Ursus Americanus, American bear. 
This, which is now considered as a distinct 
species, and not to be confounded with the 
black bear of Europe, has along, pointed nose, 
and narrow forehead : the cheeks and throat 
of a yellowish-brown colour; the hair cn the 
whole body and limbs of a glossy black, 
smoother and shorter than that of the Euro- 
pean kind. It is also said to be, in general, 
smaller than the European bear, though in- 
stances have been known in which its size, at 
least, equalled the European, since Mr. Bar- 
tram assures us, that a bear was killed in Flo- 
rida which weighed four hundred pounds. 
This animal inhabits all the northern parts 
Of America, migrating occasionally from the 
northern to the more southerly parts in quest 
of food, which is said to be entirely vegetable ; 
and it is even affirmed, that, when pressed 
by extreme want, they will still neglect all ani- 
mal food whenever they can obtain a supply 
of roots and grain. They, however, some- 
times destroy fish, and particularly herrings, 
when these fish happen to come up into the 
creeks in shoals. They are said to continue 
in their winter retreats, either in dens be- 
neath the snow under ground, or in the hol- 
lows of old trees, for the space of five or six 
weeks without food. 
3. Ursus maritimus, polar bear. This is 
a far larger species than the common bear, 
and is said to have been sometimes found 
of the length of twelve feet. The head and 
beck are ot a more lengthened form than in 
the common bear, and the body itself is longer 
in proportion. The whole animal is white, 
except the tip of the nose and the claws, 
which are jet-black: the ears are small 
and rounded; the eyes small; the teeth of 
extraordinary magnitude: the hair is of a 
great length, and the limbs are extremely 
large and strong. See Plate Nat. Iiist. fig. 
415. It seems confined to the very coldest 
parts of the globe ; being found within 80 de- 
grees of north latitude, as far as any naviga- 
tors have yet penetrated. The shores of Iiud- 
son’s-bay, Greenland, and Spitsbergen, are 
its principal places of residence; but it is 
;aid to have been accidentally carried on fioat- 
ngiceasfar south as Newfoundland. This 
species seems to have been often confounded 
Sy authors with the white variety of the com- 
mon bear, which is occasionally found in the 
northern regions. 
| The polar bear is an animal of tremendous 
Length and fierceness. Barentz, in his voy- 
age in search of a north-east passage to China, 
(ad proofs of the ferocity of these animals, in 
he island of Nova Zcmbla, where they at- 
Vol. II. 
unstfs. 
tacked his Seamen, seizing them in their 
mouths, carrying them off witli the utmost 
ease, and devouring them in the sight of their 
comrades. It is said that they will attack and 
attempt to board armed vessels, at a great 
distance from shore ; and have sometimes been 
with much difficulty repelled. Their usual 
food consists of seals, fish, and the carcases of 
whales ; but, when on land, they prey on deer, 
and other animals, as hares, young birds, &c. 
they also eat various kinds of berries which 
they happen to find. They are said to be 
frequently seen in Greenland in great droves, 
allured by the scent of the flesh of seals : and 
will sometimes surround the habitations of 
the natives, and attempt to break in ; and it is 
added, that the most successful method of re- 
pelling them is by the smell of burnt feathers. 
They grow extremely fat, a hundred pounds 
of fat having been taken from a single beast. 
The flesh is said to be coarse, but the skin is 
valued for coverings of various kinds, and the 
Greenlanders often wear it as a clothing. 
The split tendons are said to form an excel- 
lent thread. During the summer they reside 
chiefly on the ice-islands, and pass frequently 
from one to another; being extremely expert 
swimmers. They have been seen on these 
ice-islands at the distance of more than eighty 
miles from land, preying and feeding as they 
float along. They lodge in dens, formed in 
the vast masses of ice, which are piled in a 
stupendous manner, leaving great caverns 
beneath : here they breed, and bring one or two 
youngat a time, and sometimes, but very rare- 
ly* three. The affection between parent and 
young is so great, that they will sooner die 
than desert each other. They follow their 
dams a very long time, and grow to a large 
size before they quit them. 
During winter they retire, and bed them- 
selves deep beneath the snow, or else be- 
neath the fixed ice of some eminence, where 
they pass in a state of torpidity the long and 
dismal arctic night, appearing only with the 
return of the sun. 
The skins of the polar bear, says Mr. Pen- 
nant, were formerly offered by the hunters 
in the arctic regions to the high altars of ca- 
thedrals and other churches, for the priest 
to stand on during the celebration of mass in 
winter. 
4. Ursus gulo, glutton. This animal is a 
native of the most northern parts of Europe 
and Asia, occurring in Sweden, Norway, 
Lapland, and Siberia, as well as in some of 
the Alpine regions, and in the forests of Po- 
land and Courland. It is also found in the 
northern parts of America, being not un- 
common about Hudson’s-bay. 
The glutton is considerably larger than a 
badger, measuring about a yard from nose to 
tail, and the tail about a foot ; but it seems to 
vary in size, and is often less than this. The 
muzzle, as far as beyond the eyes, is black- 
ish brown, and covered with hard shining 
hair : over the forehead, down the sides of 
the head, between the eyes and ears, runs a 
whitish or ash-coloured band or fillet: the 
top of the head and whole length of the 
back are black-brown, the colour widening 
somewhat over the sides as it passes on, and 
again lessening or contracting towards the 
tail. In the American variety a whitish or 
ash-coloured band or border runs along the 
body, in the same manner as the ferruginous 
one in the European kind. 
5 S 
m 
The glutton, as its name imports, has the 
character of a very voracious animal, prey- 
ing indiscriminately both on fresh prey and 
carrion. One of which was kept at Dresden 
would eat thirteen pounds of flesh in a day, 
without being satisfied. It attacks deer, bird's, 
field-mice, &c. and even sometimes the 
larger cattle; and it is said to sit on the 
branches of trees, and suddenly to spring 
down on such animals as happen to pass be- 
neath ; tearing them, and sucking the blood, 
till they fall down through faintness, when it 
begins to devour the spoil. In winter it seeks 
out and catches ptarmigans under the snow. 
What it cannot devour at once, it is said to 
hide under ground, or in the cavity of some 
tree. It is said to be an animal of uncom- 
nion fierceness and strength ; and will some- 
times dispute the prey both with the wolf and 
bear. It is also extremely fetid. It breeds 
once a year, and brings from two to four 
young at a litter. The fur is much used for 
muffs, linings, &c. Those skins are said to 
be preferred which have least of the ferrugi- 
nous tinge, and for this reason the Siberian va- 
riety, which is blacker than the rest, is mod 
esteemed. The ursus luscus, or wolverene,, 
appears to be a variety of this animal. 
5. Ursus lotor, the raccoon, is a native of 
the new world, and is principally an inhabit- 
ant of the northern parts of that continent. 
It is also found in some of the West Indian 
islands. Its colour is grey ; the face white ; 
the eyes each imbedded in a large patch of 
black, which forms a kind of band across the- 
forehead, and is crossed by a dusky stripe 
running down the nose. The visage is 
shaped like that of a fox, the forehead being 
broad and the snout sharp; the eyes are 
large and greenish : the ears short and slight- 
ly rounded ; and the upper jaw is longer 
than the lower: the tail, which is covereu 
witli bushy hair, tapers to the end, and is an- 
nulated with several black bars : the body is 
broad, the back arched, the limbs rather 
short, and the fore legs shorter than the 
hinder ; the animal is covered with thick and 
long hair, which has a somewhat upright 
growth : the feet are dusky, and have five 
toes with very sharp claws, The colour of 
the raccoon is generally a dark grey. The 
length of the animal is two feet from nose to 
tail, and the tail about one foot. See Plate 
Nat. Iiist. fig. 414. The food of the rac- 
coon, in its wild state, consists chieflv of 
maize, which it eats while the ears are ‘ten- 
der, as well as sugar-canes, vaiious sorts of 
fruit, as apples, chesnuts, &c. It is also sup- 
posed to devour birds and their eggs, and is, 
therefore, considered as an enemy to poul- 
try. It chiefly feeds by night, and by day 
keeps in its hole, except in dull weather. In 
winter, and in very bad weather, it keeps al- 
together within, and is popularly believed to 
live like the bear, by sucking its paws. The 
raccoon, however, is an active and sprightly 
animal when taken into a state of domestica- 
tion. It has a kind of oblique gait in walk- 
ing, can leap and climb with great ease, and 
is very frequently seen on trees. It is easily 
tamed, and is frequently kept in houses by 
the Americans, and will five on bread, milk, 
fish, eggs, &c. It is particularly delighted 5 
with sweets of every kind, and has as great a 
dislike to acids. In eating, it commonly sits' 
on its hind legs, and uses its fore feet in the 
manner of hands. It has a wav of dipping 
