PREFACE. 



The mammals of any region are fewer in number of species 

 than any of the other groups of vertebrates, except the Ba- 

 trachia, which, however, are usually associated familiarly with 

 the reptiles. The apparent scarcity of mammals is moreover 

 exaggerated by their nocturnal habits and ability in concealing 

 themselves, and in the course of an ordinary walk one usually 

 sees only a few species, such as squirrels and rabbits. 



Many of the larger species have been exterminated years ago, 

 being either predatory or valuable for food and fur, and the 

 preservation of the remaining animals of the latter class can 

 only be accomplished by the support of the general public in 

 enforcing the wise game laws that the Legislature has passed. 

 Owing to the small number of species and the similarity of 

 the New Jersey mammals to those of other eastern states com- 

 paratively little has been published upon them until quite recently. 



The principal papers on the subject are as follow^s : 



BeeslEy, Thomas. List of the Larger Wild Animals of the County of 

 Cape May. <CGeology of the County of Cape May, State of New Jersey, 

 Trenton, 1857, p. 137. 



A list of 18 species, with very brief annotations. 



Abbott, Charles C. Catalogue of Vertebrate Animals of New Jersey. 

 <Appendix E., Geology of New Jersey; George H. Cook, Newark, 1868, 

 Mammals, pp. 751-760. 



A fully annotated list of 47 species. 



Abbott, Charles C. A Naturalist's Rambles about Home, New York, 1885. 

 <CAppendix, List of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Batrachians and Fishes of 

 Mercer County, New Jersey, Mammals, pp. 447-451. 



Notes on 26 species. 



Nelson, Julius. Descriptive Catalogue of the Vertebrates of New Jersey. 

 (A revision of Dr. Abbott's Catalogue of 1868.) <Final Report of the State 

 Zoologist, Vol. n, Pt. n, Trenton, 1890, Mammals, pp. 494-518. 



A list of 62 species, with descriptions and notes compiled from 



various sources. Some of the species are admittedly unknown 



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