The Grizzly Part 13

"CLa.s.sIFICATION OF GRIZZLY AND BIG BROWN BEARS

"The differences formerly supposed to exist between the grizzlies and the big brown bears appear, in the light of the material now available, to distinguish certain groups of species from certain other groups, rather than the grizzlies collectively from the big brown bears collectively. In other words, the differences between the grizzlies on the one hand and the big brown bears on the other are neither so great nor so constant as at one time believed. And there are species which in the present state of knowledge cannot be positively referred to either group. In fact, it seems at least possible that certain species which appear to belong with the grizzlies are closely related to certain other species which clearly belong with the big brown bears. The typical brown bears differ from the typical grizzlies in peculiarities of color, claws, skull, and teeth. The color of the former is more uniform, with less of the surface grizzling due to admixture of pale-tipped hairs; the claws are shorter, more curved, darker, and scurfy instead of smooth; the skull is more ma.s.sive; the fourth lower premolar is conical, lacking the sulcate heel of the true grizzlies. But these are average differences, not one of which holds true throughout the group. Most of the specimens in museums consist of skulls only, unaccompanied by skins or claws, leaving a doubt as to the external characters; and in old bears the important fourth lower premolar is likely to be so worn that its original form cannot be made out. And, worst of all, some of the grizzlies lack the distinctive type of premolar, leaving only the skull as a guide to their affinities. The present cla.s.sification, therefore, must be regarded as tentative and subject to revision....

"The present paper is merely a review of the existing state of knowledge of the grizzlies and big brown bears of America and does not include either the polar or the black bears. It is not intended as a monographic revision, but aims to supply a list of the species, together with descriptions and comparisons of adult skulls, chiefly males. Little is said of external characters, for the reason that little is known, only a few skins with claws being available for study.

"LIST OF SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF GRIZZLY AND BIG BROWN BEARS, WITH TYPE LOCALITIES.[1]

[Footnote 1: "Nearly 130 years ago Prof. Zauschner proposed the name _Ursus saribur_ for an animal 'from the region of Canada' (Bestimmung der Hundsart Krokute, und der Barenart Saribur, p. 8, 1788), but the species appears to be impossible of identification."]

(_Cla.s.sification provisional._)

_Horribilis_ group: _Ursus horribilis horribilis_ Ord Missouri River, northeastern Montana.

_horribilis bairdi_ Merriam Blue River, Summit County, Colorado.

_horribilis imperator_ Merriam Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

_chelidonias_ n.o.bis Jervis Inlet, British Columbia.

_atnarko_ n.o.bis Atnarko River, British Columbia.

_kwakiutl_ Merriam Jervis Inlet, British Columbia.

_nortoni_ Merriam Southeastern side Yakutat Bay, Alaska.

_warburtoni_ Merriam Atnarko River, British Columbia.

_neglectus_ Merriam Near Hawk Inlet, Admiralty Island, Southeastern Alaska.

_californicus_ Merriam Monterey, California.

_tularensis_ Merriam Fort Tejon, California.

_colusus_ Merriam Sacramento Valley, California.

_dusorgus_ n.o.bis[2] Jack Pine River, Alberta-British Columbia boundary.

_Planiceps_ group: _Ursus nelsoni_ Merriam Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico.

_texensis texensis_ Merriam Davis Mountains, Texas.

_texensis navaho_ Merriam Navajo country near Fort Defiance, Arizona. (Probably Chuska Mts.) _planiceps_ n.o.bis Colorado (exact locality uncertain).

_macrodon_ n.o.bis Twin Lakes, Colorado.

_mirus_ n.o.bis Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

_eltonclarki_ Merriam Near Freshwater Bay, Chichagof Island, Alaska.

_tahltanicus_ Merriam Klappan Creek ( = Third South Fork Stikine River), British Columbia.

_insularis_ Merriam Admiralty Island, Alaska.

_orgilos_ Merriam Bartlett Bay, east side Glacier Bay, Southeastern Alaska.

_orgiloides_ n.o.bis Italio River, Alaska.

_pallasi_ Merriam Donjek River, southwestern Yukon.

_rungiusi rungiusi_ n.o.bis Rocky Mountains, headwaters Athabaska River, Alberta.

_rungiusi sagittalis_ n.o.bis Champagne Landing, southwestern Yukon.

_macfarlani n.o.bis_ Anderson River, 50 miles below Fort Anderson, Mackenzie.

_canadensis_ Merriam[2] Moose Pa.s.s, near Mount Robson, British Columbia.

_Arizonae_ group: _Ursus arizonae_ Merriam Escudilla Mts., Apache County, Arizona.

_idahoensis_ n.o.bis North Fork Teton River, eastern Idaho.

_pulch.e.l.lus pulch.e.l.lus_ n.o.bis Ross River, Yukon.

_pulch.e.l.lus ereunetes_ n.o.bis Beaverfoot Range, Kootenay District, British Columbia.

_oribasus_ n.o.bis Upper Liard River, Yukon.

_chelan_ Merriam East slope Cascade Mts., Chelan County, Was.h.i.+ngton.

_shoshone_ Merriam Estes Park, Colorado.

_kennerlyi_ Merriam Mountains of northeastern Sonora, near Los Nogales, Mexico.

_utahensis_ Merriam Salina Creek, near Mayfield, Utah.

_perturbans_ n.o.bis Mount Taylor, northern New Mexico.

_rogersi rogersi_ n.o.bis Upper Greybull River, Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming.

_rogersi bisonophagus_ n.o.bis Black Hills (Bear Lodge), northeastern Wyoming.

_pervagor_ Merriam Pemberton Lake (now Lillooet Lake), British Columbia.

_caurinus_ Merriam Berners Bay, east side Lynn Ca.n.a.l, Southeastern Alaska.

_eulophus_ Merriam Admiralty Island, Southeastern Alaska.

_klamathensis_ Merriam[2] Beswick, near mouth Shovel Creek, Klamath River, northern California.

_mendocinensis_ Merriam[2] Long Valley, Mendocino County, California.

_magister_ Merriam[2] Los Biacitos, Santa Ana Mountains, Southern California.

_Hylodromus_ group: _Ursus hylodromus_ Elliot Rocky Mountains, western Alberta.

_kluane kluane_ Merriam McConnell River, Yukon.

_kluane impiger_ n.o.bis Columbia Valley, British Columbia.

_pellyensis_ n.o.bis Ketza Divide, Pelly Mountains, Yukon.

_andersoni_ n.o.bis[2] Dease River, near Great Bear Lake, Mackenzie.

_Horriaeus_ group: _Ursus apache_ Merriam Whorton Creek, south slope White Mts., eastern Arizona (a few miles west of Blue).

_horriaeus_ Baird Coppermines, southwestern New Mexico.

_henshawi_ Merriam Southern Sierra Nevada, near Havilah, Kern County, California.

_Stikeenensis_ group: _Ursus stikeenensis_ Merriam Tatletuey Lake, tributary to Finlay River, near head Skeena River, British Columbia.

_cra.s.sodon_ n.o.bis Klappan Creek (= Third South Fork Stikine River), British Columbia.

_cra.s.sus_ n.o.bis[2] Upper Macmillan River, Yukon.

_mirabilis_ Merriam[2] Admiralty Island, Alaska.

_absarokus_ Merriam[2] Little Bighorn River, northern Bighorn Mountains, Montana.

_Alascensis_ group: _Ursus alascensis_ Merriam Unalaklik River, Alaska.

_toklat_ Merriam Head of Toklat River, north base Alaska Range, near Mount McKinley, Alaska.

_latifrons_ Merriam Jasper House, Alberta.

_Richardsoni_ group: _Ursus richardsoni_ Swainson Sh.o.r.e of Arctic Ocean, west side Bathurst Inlet, near mouth of Hood River.

_russelli_ Merriam[2] West side Mackenzie River delta, Canada.

_phaeonyx_ Merriam[2] Glacier Mountain, Tanana Mts., Alaska (about 2 miles below source of Comet Creek, near Forty-mile Creek, between Yukon and Tanana Rivers).

_internationalis_ Merriam Alaska-Yukon boundary, about 50 miles south of Arctic coast.

_ophrus_ Merriam Eastern British Columbia (exact locality unknown).

_washake_ Merriam North Fork Shoshone River, Absaroka Mts., western Wyoming.

_Kidderi_ group: _Ursus kidderi kidderi_ Merriam Chinitna Bay, Cook Inlet, Alaska.

_kidderi tundrensis_ Merriam Shaktolik River, Norton Sound, Alaska.

_eximius_ Merriam Head of Knik Arm, Cook Inlet, Alaska.

_Innuitus_ group: _Ursus innuitus_ Merriam Golofnin Bay, south side Seward Peninsula, northwestern Alaska.

_cressonus_ Merriam Lakina River, south slope Wrangell Range, Alaska.

_alexandrae_ Merriam[2] Kusilof Lake, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

_Townsendi_ group: _Ursus townsendi_ Merriam Mainland of Southeastern Alaska (exact locality uncertain).