Chapter II. 

 MAMMALIA. 



In the following pages forty-two species of mammals arc enu- 

 merated as occurring in the Adirondack region, and it is not prolia- 

 ble that future investigation will greatly augment this numl)er. With 

 the exception of one or two additional Shrews, and two or three 

 Bats, I know of no others that are likely to be found. The Harbor 

 Seal and the Fox Scjuirrel are accidental stragglers, but the remaining 

 forty are permanent residents. Among them are several ot consid- 

 erable economic value. These are : the Marten, iMsher, I'Lrmine, 

 Mink, Skunk, Otter, Bear, Deer, Ik-aver, and Muskrat ; and it is not 

 many years since the Moose could liave been reckoned with the 

 rest, for it was formerly abundant here, and large numljers were 

 killed for their flesh and hides. 



The great majority of our manunals move both b)' da)' and night, 

 few being either strictly nocturnal or exclusively diurnal. The onl)- 

 species that can fairly be called nocturnal are the Skunk, the Rac- 

 coon, the Bats, and the Mying Scjuirrels ; and even tliese are occa- 

 sionally seen abroad during cloud)- da)s, and do much oi their hunt- 

 ing in the twilight. Of stricth' diurnal forms the number is still smaller, 

 for I know of but two, the Ora)- S(|uirrel and the Chipmunk, that 

 have not been seen after nighttall. The truth of the niatter 

 seems to be that very few mammals range about much during the 

 brightest part of the day, or darkest part of the night, these beiiig the 

 times when most of them do the greater part of their sleeping. 

 It is between the dark and the daylight, before sunrise in the morn- 

 ino- and in the dusk of eveninij-, when the faint liyht obscures their 



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