



\ 
MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. _— 11 

surface and soil is considerable. The vast number of glacial 
_ pools carries the habitat of the musk rat far into the prairie belt. 
Fi The prevalence of coniferous trees in the northern part of the 
state exerts a very pronounced influence upon its fauna. The 
opportunity to study the gradual changes in the same species 
as it crosses the imperceptible but most real boundary separat- 
- ing these several habitats is of the greatest value for a compre- 
hension of the bearing of evolution and the proper definition of 
a ‘‘ species.” 
_ Another field for investigation is not less interesting than the 
above mentioned. The language of a people, and especially of 
-arude people, is influenced to a high degree by the external 
objects which furnish the mind with the earliest conceptions 
aN o and the tongue with the first-framed words. Animated nature, 
‘e and especially those animals whose large size and close rela- 
tions with the individual naturally excite interest, have a large 
share of influence. The psychologist is interested to know 
what phases of animal-life have made the most vivid impress- 
ion upon different tribes and to thus read the temperament and 
“mental endowment of aboriginal people in their language. 
_ The philologist studies with no less interest, although from a 
different stand-point, the effect of animals upon the various 
i languages. If the prominent beasts of prey have identical or 
_ Similar names in distant tribes, he seeks to discover whether 
consanguinity or previous accidental propinquity was the 
-_ oceasion. | 
ee Archeology has by similar means succeeded in forming a 
vivid picture of the domestic life of early European times, 
_ while in this country little attention has as yet been directed to 
_ the subject. 
The effects of external objects upon the human mind are seen 
yi) in pictorial representations almost as soon as in vocal imitations 
Mh __ of properties possessed by them or verbal signs for them. The | 
picture writing of the savage is most highly interesting not 
_ only as furnishing information regarding his own method of 
_ life but of the previous range of extinct animals or such as 
have since migrated. In this way the contemporaneous exist- 
ence of man and the mammoth has been proven in Europe, and 
genuine and well authenticated aboriginal carvings should be 
aaa carefully collected and studied, as well by the biologist as the 
_ archeologist. Among the ancients various animal as well as 
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