CARNIVORA, 
^37 
The yellow bear was formerly common in Virginia, 
land is still frequently met with in North-Western 
Louisiana, where it is called the white bear ; and 
seems generally, though without doubt erroneously, 
to be considered an accidental variety, the offspring 
of the black bear. It subsists on honey, acorns, &c. 
as well as flesh. 
THE ARCTIC, OR WHITE BEAR, l’oURS BLANC, 
Ursus Maritimus. L. 
This is a very distinct species ; the head is much 
longer and flatter than in other bears, and the fur is 
white and shining. It lives on seals, and other ma- 
rine animals, and is hardly known to eat vegetables. 
The teeth are very large, particularly the canine, 
and the animal, altogether, is much more formidable 
than the common bear. Captain Ross, in the account 
of his late voyage of discovery to the Arctic regions, 
states, that he received a message from one of the 
whalers he fell in with, requesting surgical assistance 
for the master, whose thigh had been very severely 
lacerated by a wounded bear, which had attacked 
and dragged him out of the boat. The animal was 
pierced by three lances, before it would relinquish 
its hold ; when, disengaging itself from the weapons, 
it swam to the ice, and made off. 
He describes one which was killed by his crew, 
