PREFACE 



The literature of economic mammalogy is very extensive and scat- 

 tered through numerous books, magazines, journals, and pamphlets. 

 Many of these publications are not available in small public and private 

 libraries. Consequently the information is to a great extent unavailable 

 to anyone except a few specialists who have access to large libraries 

 and know where the more important items may be found. Even they 

 feel the need of a condensed summary or digest of the scattered in- 

 formation. This volume has been prepared for the purpose of bringing 

 together and condensing into compact form as much as possible of 

 the information concerning the economic relations of mammals ; their 

 bearing upon the welfare of the human race ; their food habits ; methods 

 of preserving the more useful species and controlling the more harm- 

 ful ones ; the danger of exterminating certain species ; and various other 

 interesting facts pertinent to the subject, thus making them available 

 to the general reader, as well as to teachers and students of biology. 

 The subject is so broad and has so many ramifications that it can 

 scarcely be hoped that this book is either complete or perfect, but it is 

 hoped that but little of much importance has been overlooked, especial- 

 ly concerning North American mammals. Great effort has been put 

 forth to insure accuracy. We do not vouch for the correctness of all 

 statements made by the various authors whose publications we quote 

 or cite. Space does not permit the recital of all the minor details, and, 

 if included, their multiplicity would place an unwarranted burden upon 

 the reader and detract from the readability and usefulness of the 

 volume. For the benefit of those who may wish to delve more deeply 

 into the subject, the appended bibliography and numerous footnotes 

 furnish references to original sources of information where more de- 

 tailed information may be found. 



We acknowledge with gratitude the valuable assistance of Mr. Hugo 

 G. Rodeck and Mrs. Junius Henderson in proof reading, checking 

 references, and indexing. We are also grateful to the publisher and his 

 editor for their efforts to present this book in an attractive form. 



JUNIUS HENDERSON 

 ELBERTA L. CRAIG 

 Boulder, Colorado, 



June ii, 1932. 



