24 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I. 



CATALOGUE OF QUADRUPEDS, 



CARNIVEROUS ANIMALS. 



QUADRUPEDS OF VERMONT. 



The following is a catalogue of the na- 

 tive quadrupeds of Vermont, arranged in 

 the order, in which they are described in 

 the following pages : 



Order Garni voRA-CarratccroMS .Animals. 



Vespertitio suhulatus, Say's Bat. 



" jirumosus, Hoary Bat. 



" carollnensis, Carolina Bat. 



" noctitagans, Silver-haired Bat. 



Sorez Forsteri, Forster'-s Shrew. 



" Itrcvicaudus, Short tail Shrew. 



Scalops canadensis. Shrew Mole. 



Condijlura macroura, Star-nosed Mole. 



Vrsus amcricanus, Black Bear. 



Procijon lotor, Raccoon. 



Gulo lusctis, Wolverene. 



Mustela vulgaris. Weasel. 



" erminea, Ermine. 



<' vison. Mink. 



" canadensis, Fisher Martin. 



" viartes, Pine Martin. 



Mephitis a.mericanus. Skunk. 



Lutra brasiliemis, American Otter. 



Canis lupus. Wolf 



" fulvus. Red Yox. 

 " var.de.cnssatus, Cross Yox. 

 " var.argcntutus. Black or SilverFox. 



Felis canadensis. Lynx. 



" rufa. Bay Lynx. 



" concolor. Catamount. 



Phoca vitulina. Common Seal. 



Order Rode.vtia — Gnawing Animals. 



Castor fiher, Beaver. 



Fiber zibeUiicus, IMusk Rat. 



Jlrvicola riparius, Meadow Mouse. 



Mas decumanus, Norway Rat. 



" ToUns, Black Rat. 



" muscidus. Common Mouse. 



Gerhillus canadensis. Jumping Mouse. 



Jlrctomys monax, Woodchuck. 



Sciurus cinereus. Gray Squirrel. 



" niger, Black Squirrel. 



" hudsonius. Red Squirrel. 



•■' striatus, Stiped Squirrel. 



Ptcromijs volucclla. Flying Squirrel. 



Hijstrix dorsata. Hedge Hog. 



Ltpiis americanus, Rabbit. 



" virginianus, Hare. 



Order RuMiNANTiA-72Mnimaimo-^rtma/s. 



Ccrvus alces. Moose. 



" canadensis. Elk. 

 " virginianus. Common Deer. 



Order CARNIVORA. 

 The animals of this order have three 

 kinds of teeth, a simple, membranaceous 

 stomach, and short intestines. Tliey live 

 principally on ilesh, or animal food. 



Genus Vespertilio. — Linnceus. 

 Generic Characters. — Teeth from 32 to 36, — 

 incisors A canines X.i erind. A.i. s.sioS.i 



6' 11'*' SS'S566* 



Upper incisors in pairs, cylindrical and pointed ; 

 the anterior grinders simply conical, posterior 

 having short points or prominences. Nose, 

 simple, without grooves, or wrinkles ; ears, 

 with an auriculum, lateral and more or less large ; 

 tongue smooth, and not protractile ; index finger 

 with but one phalanx, the middle with three, the 

 annular and little finger with two; tail comprised 

 in the interfemoral membrane ; sebaceous glands 

 under the skin of the face, which vary in different 

 species. 



The bats consist of a great number of 

 species, but they agree very nearly in 

 their general form and habits. They pro- 

 duce and nourish their young in the man- 

 ner of other quadrupeds, but unlike them 

 they are furnished with delicate mem- 

 branous wings upon which they spend 

 much of their time in the air, thus seem- 

 ing to form the connecting link between 

 the quadrtii>eds and birds. They are noc- 

 turnal in their habits, lying concealed 

 during the day, but venturing abroad on 

 the approach of evening, during the early 

 part of which they may be seen flitting 

 lightly and noiselessly throttgh the air in 

 quest of food, which consists chiefly of in- 

 sects. At such times they often enter 

 the open windows of our dwellings and 

 sometimes commit depredations upon our 

 larders, being exceedingly fond of fresh 

 meat. Their nocturnal habits manifest 

 themselves in the domesticated state as 

 well as the wild, and it is with difficulty 

 that they are made to mount upon their 

 wings, or take food during the day, but 

 in the evening they devour food vora- 

 ciously and fly about the room without 

 reluctance. On the approach of winter 

 bats retire to dry caverns and hollow trees 

 where they suspend themselves by the 

 hooked nails of their hind feet, and thus 

 remain in a torpid state during the win- 

 ter. They void their excrement, which 

 is found in abundance in these retreats, 

 by reversing their position and suspend- 

 ing themselves by the hooks upon their 

 thumbs till their object is accomplished, 

 when they restime their former position. 

 Bats produce their young in Jane or July, 

 and have from one to three at a time. 

 The teats of the female are situated on 

 the chest and to these, as we are assured 

 by Dr. Godman, (Nat. His. L 56.), the 

 young attach themselves so firmly as to 

 be carried about by the mother in her 

 flight, till they have attained a considera- 

 ble size. The four following species arc 

 all that have hitherto been distinguished 

 in Vermont. It is, however, probable 

 thatothersuiay hereafter be detected. 



