152 BULLETIN OF THE 



difficult to eradicate from our systems those even but doubtfully admitted 

 when once they have been proposed by authors high in authority, 

 such species being ultimately accepted without having ever been scien- 

 tifically established. Authors afflicted with this mania rarely reject any 

 species of their contemporaries, but they virtually indorse the doubt- 

 ful ones by adding others of their own based on similar characters. The 

 great proportion of merely nominal species hence annually added to 

 our lists is a detriment to science deeply to be regretted. 



Perhaps the strictures contained in this article will by some be 

 deemed too severe ; they are nevertheless made, not only reluctantly 

 and in all cases without the slightest personal feelings, but from a con- 

 viction of their necessity, aud with the sole object of advancing the 

 truth. Gladly would I have left to others the unpleasant task. 



While much of the material forming the basis of this list has been, 

 as previously stated, that of my own collecting at Springfield, I am 

 deeply indebted to the Museum of Comparative Zoology for additional 

 data, and especially for a large amount of invaluable material for the 

 revision of the species.* It has also afforded me the opportunity of com- 

 paring American with European specimens of the species of Mustelidce 

 and Canidce, and of examining specimens of most of the Mammals of 

 North America. The very complete collection of Massachusetts mam- 

 mals in the Springfield Museum of Natural History, mainly collected 

 and prepared by Mr. C. W. Bennett, embracing as it does several 

 unique specimens, has likewise been freely consulted, and with much 

 profit. I have already referred to my indebtedness to Captain N. E. 

 Atwood, of Provincetown, for notes on the Cetacea, and to Professor E. 

 D. Cope for the identification of the species. 



The names used in Dr. Emmons's Iteport are generally added as 

 synonymes : whcn different from those now adopted. A tabular compar- 

 ison of the species given by Dr. Emmons from this State, by Dr. De 

 Kay from New York, and by Mr. J. P. Linsley from Connecticut is 

 made with those of the present list, in order to indicate their synonymy. 

 In general only such synonymcs are given, always from original exami- 

 nation, as are necessary to render clear the views of the writer on the 



* Brobably no other Natural History Museum in the world affords facilities for the 

 investigation of the individual variation of species equal to those presented by the im- 

 mense collections of New England, and especially Massachusetts, Vertebratu contained in 

 this Institution, brought together by the Director in great part for this e<pecial purpose. 



