684 ^ CENTURY Of PROGRESS IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES 



concerned with conservation problems. Among Federal agencies, the Soil Con- 

 servation Service, the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Bureau of Entomology 

 and Plant Quarantine, the National Park Service, and the Forest Service all are 

 interested in the several biological fields which include consideration of mammal 

 life. In close cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, they are directly 

 responsible for research that often includes the study of mammals. 



Present Needs 



Surely it is evident that many pressing problems of utmost economic signifi- 

 cance and academic interest have yet to be solved. Research on our native mam- 

 mals, except within recent years, has not been extensive. It is lamentably true 

 that problems dealing with mammals currently arise, some of great importance, 

 that cannot be answered with authority. Training in mammalogy is as necessary 

 to those who would consider it a profession as it is in other allied fields. A knowl- 

 edge of botany, entomology, geology, mathematics, and kindred subjects must be 

 considered a part of the training of the professional investigator. 



In earlier years, a few recognized masters guided the destiny of many an 

 untrained youth into the field in which he later excelled. The professional mam- 

 malogists of the past century were primarily trained in medicine, as were Mer- 

 riam, Mearns, and Coues. Others had no formal training in the sciences. Vernon 

 Bailey is an illustrious example of a self-taught naturalist who gave inspiration 

 to the generation that followed. 



In the early part of the present century, few educational institutions were 

 concerned with specialized courses in natural history. The classic instruction 

 included anatomy, physiology, and embryology, for the prescribed curriculum was 

 designed for premedical training. The influence of Agassiz, Jordan, and their 

 disciples was destined to foster the study of living animals. In the training of a 

 naturalist, be he interested in systematics, morphology or life histories, a sound 

 biological basis is the best preparation. Few will deny this assumption. 



University courses in the natutral history of vertebrates, in which the study 

 of mammals was included, were given a half-century ago. Notable among the 

 institutions that gave special instruction in mammalogy in the early years of 

 the present century should be mentioned the University of California, Cornell 

 University, and the University of Michigan. Presently thirty or more colleges 

 give courses that deal with mammals, while many others offer instruction in 

 vertebrate natural history. Mammal studies are emphasized in many schools that 

 include wildlife courses in their curriculum. These, of necessity, differ widely in 

 the various institutions where such instruction is offered. 



Ever since the first World AVar, when attention was focused on the alarming 

 state of our natural resources, including wildlife, the growth of both Federal 

 and state agencies concerned with the management and conservation of these 

 resources has been marked. Instruction in the universities has kept apace with 

 the increased demand for trained personnel to fill the positions in this expand- 

 ing field. While mammalogy is only a small part of the wildlife field, there is 

 a constant demand for individuals with specialized training in this subject. In 

 government, state, and educational institutions, the training requirements are 

 rigorous and selective. Only the ablest candidates are assured of a position. 



