PREFACE. 



The present volume is supposed to include all the species and 

 races of Mammals (that have been described up to the date of publi- 

 cation) which inhabit the North American Continent from the Arctic 

 Ocean to the Province of Cauca in Colombia, South America, to- , 

 gether with those of the West India Islands, and the adjoining seas. 

 These are arranged systematically according to the author's views, 

 and descriptions have been given of those forms that have received 

 names since the two previous works (the Synopsis of North American 

 Mammals, and the Land and Sea Mammals of Middle America and 

 the West Indies) were published. 



In the works above named, in order that their bulk should not 

 be unduly increased, generic names were omitted from the synonymy 

 of the species and races. These have been supplied in the present 

 volume, thus making all references complete, and increasing their 

 usefulness for those who may have occasion to consult them. Mam- 

 malian nomenclature being still in a transitory condition, names 

 that have perhaps become familiar to many have been obliged, in cer- 

 tain cases, to give place to others less known on account of either the 

 same name having been previously employed in other branches of Zo- 

 ology, or having been antedated by a different one. Changes, there- 

 fore, are continually occurring, as this volume will testify, and new 

 names in various intances have taken the place of those employed 

 even so recently as in the lately published volumes on the Mammals 

 of Middle America and the West Indies. This Check List conse- 

 quently should always be consulted for the latest accepted name, 

 from that of the Family down to the subspecies. 



The present volume does not profess to be more than its title 

 implies, a CHECK LIST of all known North American Mammals, 

 without descriptions, save of those named forms not included in 

 previous volumes, but with a moderate amount of synonymy added, 

 and the type locality and geographical distribution in every instance 

 given, if known. For all other information regarding the Orders, 

 Families, Genera, species, and races, the author's other published 

 works on the same subject should be consulted. The Check List is 

 merely the natural sequence of the three previous volumes, and con- 

 cludes the whole work as originally conceived. 



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