BEAR. 193 
This animal is confined to the coldeft part of the 
globe: it has been found as far as navigators have 
penetrated northwards above lat. 80. The frigid 
climates only feem adapted' to its nature; for we do 
not learn from any authority that it is met with far¬ 
ther fouth than Newfoundland. Its bounds in refpedt 
to longitude are alfo very limited *, being an animal 
unknown except on the fliores of Huifon'sBay , Green¬ 
land\ and Spitzbergen , on one fide, and thofe of 
Nova Zembla on the other*, for fuch as have ap- 
* . ^ 
peared in other parts, have been brought there in¬ 
voluntarily * on floating iflands of ice *, fo that the 
intermediate countries of Norway and Iceland are 
acquainted with them but by accident. We cannot 
trace them farther Eafi than Nova 'Zembla \ tho 9 the 
frozen fea, that is continued from thence as far as 7 
the land of Idjchukfchi , that lies above Kamtfcbatka , 
is equally fuited to their nature. The late hiftories 
of thofe countries are lilent in refped to them. 
During fummer the white bears are either refident 
on iflands of ice, or pafling from one to another: 
they fwim admirably, and can continue that exercife 
f fix or feven leagues-; and dive with great agility. 
They bring two young at a time: the affedion be¬ 
tween the parents and them is fo ftrong, that they 
would die rather than defert one another. Their 
winter retreats are under the fnowj, in which 
they form deep dens, fupported by pillars of the 
fame. 
* Hor rebow Iceland. 42. 
t La Hontan , I. 
t Egede. 60. 
o 
They 
