96 
NOTES ON MAMMALS OF UPPER CHITINA RIVER 
REGION, ALASKA 
By Hamilton M. Laing and Rudolph M. Anderson 1 
1. Ursus americanus Pallas Black Bear 
Not numerous, but present along entire north side of the Chitina. 
On day of arrival of alpine party at Hubrick’s camp, a large black bear 
was working upon an open slope just above camp. That he had not rifled 
the torn tent of its unprotected supplies seemed rather a wonder. Next 
day another seen on a similar slope farther up valley. After this tracks 
seen almost daily, but makers kept to timber. On July 17 a large male 
thought to be first one seen, waylaid and shot as he headed down a sheep 
trail from near timber-line. On August 3, during a day’s absence from 
camp, a black bear invaded place and carried off and destroyed fresh skin 
of a ram that had been hung in shade to dry. He returned that evening, 
coming almost to tent door. A bullet sent after him in dusky timber 
failed to stop him and he went off spilling bearberry mash profusely and 
never returned. Truly a sudden boldness in so shy an animal, but un- 
doubtedly a newcomer unschooled to man, come to range of male killed 
earlier. 
Stomach of male specimen held only vegetation, mainly grass. Meat 
of good flavour, but tough. 
Measurements of this specimen as follows: total length, 1,560 mm.; 
tail, 120 mm.,; hind foot, 195 mm.; estimated weight, 250 lbs. 
Specimens: Two. 
June 15, juv., McCarthy, Alaska. 
July 11, c? adult, Hubrick’s, Chitina river. This specimen differs from a series of 
eastern specimens (Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba) in comparative length and slenderness 
of skull, breadth of skull being less in proportion to length. Frontal region relatively high 
and rounded, curving upward from about middle of nasals or posterior tips of premaxilke, 
to about line of postorbital processes. Temporal ridges well defined, but not large, and 
sagittal crest rather low. Rostrum long and slender, and inflated very slightly over 
nasals. Eastern black bear skulls examined, all show a nearly flat or slightly depressed 
curvature from postorbital processes to tip of nasals. Neither Chitina River specimen nor 
a series of skulls from Teslin Lake region show any noticeable resemblance to characters 
given for Ursus ( Euarctos ) americanus pugnax Swarth, Univ. Calif., Publ. Zool., vol. 7, 
1911, p. 141, the island black bear of southeastern Alaska coast. 
H. S. Swarth (Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., vol. 24, No. 2, 1922, p. 161) considered speci- 
mens of black bear from Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, nearest to type of U. a. 
pemiger (Allen) from Kenai peninsula and Yakutat bay, Alaska, although pending revision 
of group he referred them to U. a. americanus Pallas. 
C. Raymond Hall, however, in his paper, ‘'A New Race of Black Bear from Vancouver 
Island, British Columbia, with Remarks on Other Northwest Coast Forms of Euarctos ,” 
Univ. Calif., Publ. Zool., vol. 30, No. 10, 1928, pp. 231-242, considers that so-called glacier 
bear or blue bear, U. a. emmonsi (Dali) of Yakutat Bay region merely a colour phase of 
geographic race of black bears of mainland of southern Alaska. To this race, he considers 
name Ursus americanus emmonsi will apply, with type locality in St. Elias Alps, near 
Yakutat bay, Alaska. He states that ‘'some of the skulls of the blue bears from the 
northernmost part of the range of this colour phase are strikingly like U. a, pemiger , but 
the others agree with specimens from Taku river and vicinity.” 
On the whole, our specimen from Chitina River valley, Alaska, shows a rather close 
resemblance to description of Ursus americanus emmonsi (Dali), and may perhaps be best 
considered as intermediate between this form and Ursus americanus pemiger (Allen). 
1 Systematic notes under each species are by R. M. Anderson, who is responsible for the identification and 
nomenclature. 
