CHAPTER VIII 



BRITISH MAMMALS 



THERE are perhaps no animals about which more has been written 

 than our native mammals, representing, as they do, the small 

 remnant of what was 

 once an extensive 

 fauna. This is especi- 

 ally true of the larger 

 forms, to whicli the 

 sportsman, field- 

 naturalist, and com- 

 parative anatomist 

 have each paid par- 

 ticular attention from 

 their respective points 

 of view. Of the 

 smaller and less con- 

 spicuous creatures, 

 however, our know- 

 ledge is far less com- 

 plete and in some cases 

 extremely imperfect. 

 It must not be sup- 

 posed, however, that 

 even with the best-known animals there do not remain many 

 phases in their life history that are still unknown. It is impossible 



From a photograph specially taken by Mestr* LascelUs & Co. 



FIGURE 94. The head of a male Wild Cat in the 

 possession of Mr Alfred Heneage Cocks. 



