THE POLAR BEAR. 243

perate in self-defense, but it is seldom that
they become the aggressor. The brain of
the bear is very highly developed, and they
soon learn all kinds of accomplishments.
The lion is an uncouth boor in comparison.

The Polar Bear, Zhalassarctos Maritt-
mus, is the only representative of the ge-
nus. He is an almost wholly carnivorous
animal, his food consisting of fishes and
seals, which he skillfully captures. He can
swim better than any other bear, and has
been known to swim a strait forty miles
wide. The fur is silver white tinged with
yellow. This color is variable in specimens,
and according to the seasons. The head is
much smaller than that of the grizzly or
black bear, and is ferret-like, with a decided
downward curve to the nose. The nose
does not possess the flexibility of that of
the rest of the bear family, although the
polar bear has the higher development of
the sense of smell. Johnson says that the
flesh is good to eat, but other writers do
not agree with him. Kane was poisoned by