PREFACE 



IN PREPARING the present volume the aim has been to produce 

 a work sufficiently free from technicalities to appeal to the 

 general reader and at the same time to include such scientific 

 information relative to our North American mammals as would be 

 desired by one beginning their study. The key at the end 

 of the volume will be found of service in identifying unfamiliar 

 mammals, and includes certain characters omitted from the body 

 of the book. As a guide to further study there has been appended 

 a bibliography of the principal works on North American 

 mammals. 



To many of these I would express my indebtedness, especially 

 to the writings of Allen, Merriam, Miller, Bangs and Rhoads, 

 and also my acknowledgments to the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia and Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads for the privi- 

 lege of studying the specimens contained in their collections. 



The text figures are all reproduced from standard works, 

 while the plates are largely from the brush or camera of Mr. 

 A. RadclyfTe Dugmore, whose name is so intimately connected 

 with illustrations of nature. 



WITMER STONE. 



September j, 1902. 



t 



