INTRODUCTION. 6J 



vora, Carnivora, Marsupial ia, Rodent ia, Pachyder- 

 mata, Ruminantia, and Solipeda. Of these orders, 

 the Quadrumana, Marsupialia, Pachydermata, and 

 Solipeda, areentirely wan ting in the British Islands. 

 Of the Cheiroptera fifteen species have been 

 described, all of which occur in the southern dis- 

 tricts of England, while only three or four have 

 hitherto been met with in Scotland. Of the six 

 Insectivora, the Hedgehog occurs in all parts of 

 England, and in many of the southern and middle 

 districts of Scotland; the Mole is generally dis- 

 tributed in Britain, but is not seen in the Hebrides 

 or in many parts of the Highlands ; and the four 

 Shrews are probably found in most parts of the 

 country. There are twelve Carnivora, of which 

 one, the Badger, has become very scarce, although 

 it is met with in most of the counties ; the Pole- 

 cat, Ermine, Weasel, and Marten, are general ; the 

 Otter is found on the rivers as well as on the sea- 

 shore ; the Fox is general, and not very uncom- 

 mon ; the Wild Cat chiefly occurs in the woods 

 and thickets of the north ; of the four Seals, one 

 is common, the rest unfrequent ; and the Walrus is 

 an extremely rare and accidental visitant. Of the 

 Rodentia, the most numerous order, there are four- 

 teen species, of which one, the Irish Hare, is pe- 

 culiar to Ireland; the Squirrel and Dormouse are 

 plentiful in many parts of England ; the Black 

 Rat is nearly extirpated, the Brown Rat more ex- 

 tensively dispersed than any other British quadru- 

 ped, excepting the Domestic Mouse; the Wood 

 Mouse is general ; the Harvest Mouse very rare in 

 the north ; the Water-Rat common in most parts, 

 as is the Field Vole, and perhaps the Meadow or 

 Red Vole ; the Common Hare is general, while the 

 Varying Hare is confined to the north, and the 



