Carnivoea.- 
-MAMMALIA. 
-Carnivora. 
length, but, us is seen in fig', xi., wliich 'svas drawn 
from it, exhibits the terminal half quite mutilated, 
the end having the appearance of having been brohen 
Fig. xi. 
The California Raccoon. 
off. while the hairs are. on the latter portion, appar- 
ently sparsely set, or are accidentally bruised and 
disarranged. 'I'he specimen obtained by Sir Ed- 
ward Belcher was from the Sacramento River. Its 
close proximity to the variety of Procyon hernandezii 
( P. mexicana), which is found in Sonora, as well as its 
general resemblance to the latter, suggest that a 
further examination may prove to unite them. Prof. 
Baird says; “ Upon the whole, though the description 
is not sufficiently perfect to admit of a minute com- 
parison, I am inclined to consider the P. psora as 
essentially the same with (he Sonora specimen, with 
only a smaller cheek patch, and both of them varie- 
ties of P. hernandezii.'’ Bhe dimensions given are as 
follows : the head and body twenty -seven inches in 
length ; tail, three inches ; hind foot, four and a half : 
skull, five inches long and three and a half inches 
broad. 
THE CRAB-EATING RACCOON (Procijvn caticrivo- 
riis). — A trivial name of this is Agoxar.v, known as 
such in Central America and further South. 'J’he 
specific title is thought to be erroneously chosen, as 
it is not more given to Crab-eating than others. In 
size it is rather above the common species. 'I'he tail 
is shorter in proportion to the body, and is marked 
with six black rings upon a grayish or blackish- 
yellow ground. A dark patch encloses each eye. 
and, passing backwards almost to the ears, is merged 
into a dark spot on the crown. In various parts 
of the country it is called Maxile, AVasch-bar. and 
Cioutlamacasipie. 
Ursus. — Linn. 
Bears are regarded as forming one of the most 
clearly-defined groups in the Animal Kingdom. 'I'hey 
constitute the typical genus in the family Ursula-. 
and, w'ith later w’riters, form a group wdiich they entitle 
Trihe Plantigradu . 'I'hey are rather sparsely dis- 
tributed as regards species, and are specially i-epre- 
sented in the temperate regions of the North Ameri- 
can continent. A few species are found in the same 
latitudes in Europe and Asia, and a single species — 
the Ursus ornatus — inhabits the Andes of South 
America. One only is found in Europe, the com- 
mon Brown Bear {U. are(os), wdiich is also found in 
the northern jiortions of Asia. AVallace enumerates 
the species as follows, viz : “ 'I'lialassarctos, the Polar 
Bear, one species ; Ursus, the true Bears, twelve 
species, which range over all the Nearctic and Palm- 
arctic regions as far as the Atlas Mountains, the 
Indo-Chinese sub-region in the mountains, and to Hai- 
nan and Formosa ; Helarctos, the Malay or Sun Bear, 
one species, confined to the Indo-Malayan sub-region ; 
Melursus or Prochilus, the Honey Bear, one species, 
confined to the first and second oriental sub-regions, 
over which it ranges from the Ganges to Ceylon ; and 
'I'remarctos, the Spectacled Bear, commonly known 
as Ursus ornatus, which forms a distinct group.” 
A good deal of discussion has been recorded con- 
cerning the relative characters of the Bears of the 
two continents ; it is now pretty wmll established that 
those of Europe differ from the American sufficiently 
to indicate distinct species. 'I'he Bear has certain 
characteristic habits common to all. In most instances 
it climbs with great facility, appearing to be as agile, 
in proportion to its immense size, as a Squirrel. Its 
flexible limbs and long, well-armed paws, give it a 
sure lodgment among the branches of the forest. 
In mounting a tree, the Black Bear leaps like a Cat 
to the lower branches, and then readily pulls himself 
upwards on the outstretching limbs. AVe have wit- 
nessed this feat wdth surprise and pleasure at the 
Zoological Gardens in Philadelphia, where the Bear- 
pits are extremely well planned and well kept. 
'I'he Bear is a good swimmer, and digs with the im- 
mense power that his big paw's suggest. Its diet is 
exceedingly varied ; leaves of trees are eaten with ap- 
parent relish at times ; Bees and their comb form a 
favorite portion; and in winter, when the weather has 
pinched it to extremity, it resorts to roots, which are 
skilfully unearthed by the long and powerful claws. 
'I'he young are usually from one to four in number, and 
are quite small during the first few days of existence. 
'I'he litter is usually produced about the end of Jan- 
i uary or the first of February, and it is an interesting 
! fact that the Bear, though having been deprived of 
food for several months, is yet able to sustain a toler- 
able condition while nursing the litter. They are 
unsocial creatures, frequenting the deep ravines and 
caverns, or inaccessible heights, and usually singly, 
or in pairs, 'riie extraordinary habit of hybernating 
is considered more fully under the description of the 
Black Bear. The dentition of Bears exhibits a 
design of a frugivorous nature rather than carnivorous 
exclusively, and the formula is the same as in the 
Ganidas generally. 'I'he molars in the lower jaw 
number seven, the maximum known to the Alammals 
of jdacental structure. xV peculiarity of the premolar.s 
or smaller grinding-teeth, is seen in their transitory 
nature ; they are very small, and are often destroyed 
or lost. I'he first and fourth of these premolars are 
usually persistent. A difficulty in determining species 
' is found in the variations in size at maturity, and in 
\ the very considerable difference between the sexes. 
For example, the males of Ursus arctos and U. amer- 
icanus, have the forehead flatter and less arched 
transversely than the females and young males. I he 
dentition is; Incisors, |-§ ; Canines, j— j-; Promo- 
lars, -j--} : Alolars, M = -I'-’ 
