VI FOREWORD 



relatives a great variety of data. This is to be done in a series 

 of handbooks. 



So little has been written about the mammals on many of the 

 Pacific islands that it is difficult for the layman to find infor- 

 mation. By a fortunate coincidence the American Museum of 

 Natural History has had a long and continuous interest in the 

 south Pacific. Through the Archbold Expeditions it has done 

 extensive field work in New Guinea and has acquired specimens 

 from other islands. Because of this background, the authors of 

 "Mammals of the Pacific World" — all of them in the Depart- 

 ment of Mammals of the American Museum — are well qualified 

 for their present undertaking. Dr. Tate has the special dis- 

 tinction of having observed and collected mammals in New 

 Guinea. 



Within the scope of the "Pacific World" the mammals of 

 three continents are encountered. North America has contrib- 

 uted to the fauna of the Aleutians ; from continental Asia come 

 the mammals of Japan, Formosa, Sumatra, and other islands 

 situated on the continental shelf ; and finally Australia has sup- 

 plied with characteristic representatives such islands as New 

 Guinea and the Solomons. To complicate matters, some of the 

 islands received their mammals as waifs on natural rafts or as 

 passengers in the primitive craft of the aboriginal peoples. The 

 whole topic of the distribution of the mammal life of the Pacific 

 is intensely interesting and challenging to the imagination. 

 When one learns that a creature has established itself on an 

 island only after the operation of the laws of chance over a 

 period of hundreds of thousands of years, he can appreciate the 

 significance of conservation for that animal. 



All of the mammals of the area are interesting. Some are 

 obviously useful as food ; some are dangerous and not to be pro- 

 voked without hazard. Many of these animals such as bear, 

 tiger, and kangaroo are already familiar to Americans, but a 

 number of others peculiar to the area need to be described for 

 an American audience. This book attempts to provide an intro- 



