PREFATORY NOTE 



The writer could hardly claim much original- 

 ity for this book, were he so disposed. His 

 aim has not been a literary one, but rather to 

 compose a useful handbook of the mammals 

 the wild four-footed tenants of our American 

 farm-lands, from the point of view of the 

 agriculturist, orchardist and ranchman. The 

 United States Department of Agriculture, 

 through its various departments and publica- 

 tions, has from time to time issued information 

 vast in its sum in respect to economic 

 zoology ; and most of the Agricultural Colleges 

 and Experiment Stations in the several States 

 have repeated and supplemented this exten- 

 sively. The bulk of this proffered matter, how- 

 ever, relates to the ravages of injurious insects, 

 or to the beauty and usefulness of birds sub- 

 jects which may receive attention in future 

 volumes in this Library. 



The economic importance of the mammals 

 ix 



