.:<^ 





Introduction ^^ 



Since the beginning of the Japanese war relatively enormous 

 numbers of men and some women who never before dreamed of 

 visiting the islands of the Pacific and the East Indies have 

 found themselves transported thither. Everything about them 

 there is new and strange. Not only do the various natives look 

 and behave differently, but even the locally commonplace gar- 

 den plants, useful woods, birds, animals, and insects look, sound, 

 and act differently from the familiar kinds at home. This book, 

 designed to introduce the mammals of this vast area to the new- 

 comer, has been written as one of the parts of a series of hand- 

 books on the Pacific, in course of preparation. 



The animals are described as concisely as possible under their 

 respective classes. Technical words have been generally avoided ; 

 in some cases the use of such words serves to prevent frequent 

 repetition of explanatory clauses. The meanings of those words 

 are defined in a short glossary placed before the geographical 

 index. 



So many geographical names have been given when indicat- 

 ing the places where animals are found that a map has been in- 

 cluded to assist the reader to locate such names. 



A discussion of the ancient history of the region from the 

 standpoint of animal development and movement — how animals 

 reached islands from their continental homes, how they survived 

 after arrival, and the character of the evidence for such his- 

 tories — is provided with the hope that interest in the subject 

 may be aroused. 



A few words are offered on each of the seemingly but not 

 really contradictory subjects of conserving native animals and 

 collecting specimens of them for scientific study. 



XV 



