CIRCULAR NO. 1. [PUBLISHED JULY 1, 1900. 



Newport Natural History Society. 



THE NATIVE MAMMALS OF RHODE ISLAND. 



One of the objects of the Newport Natural History Society is 

 the collection and preservation of specimens and facts relating to the 

 native products of the State of Rhode Island. The undersigned has 

 been requested to prepare a circular of inquiry respecting the mam- 

 mals of this State, for the purpose of eliciting as much information 

 as possible concerning them, with a view to preparing an authorita- 

 tive list of the mammals which have inhabited Rhode Island during 

 the period of its occupation by the Whites, and of any fossil species 

 whose remains have been found within the State. 



Some of the largest animals have already disappeared from Rhode 

 Island, and others are on the verge of extinction. It is extremely 

 unfortunate that any of our native mammals should have been al- 

 lowed to pass away without so much as a record of their characters 

 and peculiarities having been preserved. To provide against such a 

 calamity in the future, the Newport Natural History Society pro- 

 poses to preserve specimens and records of all that remain. To this 

 end, an historic collection of State Mammals is being formed. The 

 Society is especially desirous of obtaining without delay all of the 

 species of mammals that are in imminent danger of extinction. 



Living or mounted specimens, skins, bones (especially skulls), teeth, 

 horns, nests, and all materials relating to Rhode Island mammalogy, 

 will be welcome additions to the Society's museum, and will be grate- 

 fully received, acknowledged, and registered. They should be marked 

 "specimens for the Newport Natural History Society," and sent to 

 the address given below. The writer will be pleased to identify and 

 return any specimens sent to him for determination. 



Of fossil mammals and those which have been extirpated within 

 the historic period, any remains, however imperfect or fragmentary, 

 such as bones, teeth, horns, etc., should be sent to the Society's 

 museum for preservation, as they are exceedingly precious. A jaw 

 or horn of an Elk or Moose, dug from the soil of Rhode Island, 

 would be much more valuable than a perfectly mounted specimen of 

 the same animal from some other region. 



The species of recent mammals which have been positively as- 

 certained to belong to the fauna of Rhode Island are below enu- 

 merated, in list A; those whose presence or occurence is supposed to 

 be probable, on the ground of their having been found in the adja- 

 cent States or waters, are given in list B. 



Respecting each of the animals given in lists A and B, informa- 

 tion is requested as follows: — 



