INTRODUCTION. VU 



Mr. Rafinesquc, professor in the Transylvania Univer- 

 sity, in the State of Kentucky, has described, or rather 

 indicated, a great variety of animals ; but his insulated si- 

 tuation, and almost utter ignorance of the labours of other 

 naturalists, have seduced him into grievous errors, and oc- 

 casioned much confusion in natural history. It is possible, 

 that some of his animals may be new species, but from the 

 looseness of his imperfect descriptions, w^e have been 

 obliged to reject them in almost every instance. 



I should commit an act of injustice towards the most 

 valuable of friends, were I to pass sub silentio, the reiter- 

 ated proofs of kindness I have received from Dr. Dekay 

 of New York. The unusual interest he has displayed in 

 the success of this work; the important refei-ences he has 

 afforded, and the valuable hints he has suggested, entitle 

 him to my warmest acknowledgments. 



By collecting together all the detached observations 

 published in various journals, aided by personal ^observa- 

 tion, when this was in our power, we have been able to dis- 

 tinguish with considerable accuracy, one hundred and for- 

 ty-seven species, as inhabiting North America.* Of these, 



* Commencing' at the most southern boundaiy of the United States, 

 and not including- the animals of Mexico, many of vvliich are as yet but 

 imperfectly known. Hernandez and Clavigero in their account of the 

 natural history of this country, have noticed a number of animals, some 

 of which are no doubt fabulous. The following- is a list of such as inha- 

 bit Mexico, according to Clavigero : — 



"Wild cats; bears; wolves; foxes; stags; buck; wild goats; badgers; 

 pole-cats; weasels; martins; squirrels; rabbits; hares; otters; rats; a spe- 

 cies of apes, called mono by the Spaniards; peccari; zoriUo; opossum; 

 armadillo; techichi or alco; swizzero; saricovienne; tapir; cynocephala 

 cercopitheca of Briss. ; ant-eater; coyoto or cojotl and porcupine." 



Of these animals, some are common to South America and Mexico; 



