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Show 72 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON A N E W URSUS. [Feb. 13, the brown chin by an ill-defined brown line. The shape of the muzzle was also much sharper and more prolonged than in U. americanus, rendering the distance between the eye and the point of the nose comparatively greater, as was shown by sketches of the heads of these two animals. a. Ursus nasutus. b. Ursus americanus. The specimen had been purchased of a dealer at Liverpool, and was stated to have been brought from the West Indies. It was probably from some part of the South-American Continent. The only generally recognized South-American Bear was the Spectacled Bear (U. ornatus), figured in Geoffroy St.-Hilaire and F. Cuvier's 'Hist. Nat.' (ii. t. 218), which was known by the brown spectacle-like markings on the forehead, and had a short broad nose. Tschudi had described a second species, from Peru *, which, however, did not seem at all to resemble the present animal. But it was very possible that the Venezuelan Bear, described by Sir R. Ker Porter, in a communication made to this Society on the 22nd of October, 1833f, might refer to it, as the description and presumed locality alike agreed with it. * Vrsus frugilegus, Tsch. F. P. M a m m . p. 90, characterized as " supra nigrofuscus concolor, subtus brunneus." Dr. Gray, in his lately published revision of the Ursidee (P. Z. S. 1864), seems to have altogether overlooked this species. P L. S. t See P. Z. S. 1833, p. 114. |