FOREWORD VU 



ductory account of the most salient facts of origin, life history, 

 and distribution. The field is so extensive, however, that no one 

 island or no single species can receive very exhaustive treatment. 

 A synoptic list with a greater number of species, but with less 

 descriptive matter and discussion, has been prepared by Dr. 

 Tate and published by the American Museum under the title "A 

 List of the Mammals of the Japanese War Area." It is divided 

 into four parts : 



Part 1. New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck 



Archipelago, New Hebrides, and other remote 



south Pacific groups. 

 Part 2. The Greater Sunda Islands (Sumatra, Java, 



Bali), with Nicobar and Andaman Islands. 

 Part 3. The Lesser Sunda Islands (Lombok to Timor), 



the Moluccas, Celebes. 

 Part 4j. Borneo and the islands of the South China Sea. 



These are short booklets and were planned primarily for the 

 Medical Services as an aid in knowing the mammals of an island 

 and something of the possibilities of mammals as disease car- 

 riers. 



Never before, to my knowledge, have data on the mammals of 

 so great a section of the Pacific been brought within the covers 

 of a single book. It is hoped that a wide circle of readers will 

 find "Mammals of the Pacific World" instructive, entertaining, 

 and useful. Certainly the authors have labored mightily to 

 bring the facts before the public, and if a better understanding 

 will help to promote conservation of wildlife in these remote 

 places, a great deal will have been accomplished. 



Harold E. Anthony, Chairman and Curator 

 Department of Mammals 

 American Museum of Natural History 

 New York City 7 



