PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE MAMMALS OF NEW YORK 327 



the animal is probably a mere straggler. Mr Savage has not yet found 

 the pine mouse in Erie co., where however it doubtless occurs. Mr 

 Helme writes that it is abundant in the dry upland fields and woods of 

 Long Island. 



Fiber zibethicus (Linnaeus) Muskrat 



1766 Castor zibethicus Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 12. 1:79. 



181 7 Fiber zibethicus Cuvier, Regne animal. 1 : 192. 



1842 Fiber zibethicus De Kay, Zoology of New York, Mammalia. 



P- 75- 

 1884 Fiber zibethicus Merriam, Linn. soc. New York. Trans. 2 : 177. 



1896 Fiber zibethicus Fisher, The Observer. May 1896. 7: 198. 



1898 Fiber zibethicus Mearns, Am. mus. nat. hist. Bui. 9 Sep. 1898. 



10:332. 



1898 Fiber zibethicus Mearns, U. S. Nat. mus. Proc. 21:348. 



Type locality. Eastern Canada. 



Faicnal position. As the muskrat is essentially an aquatic animal its 

 distribution is not limited by the same climatic conditions that govern 

 the ranges of most mammals. It is therefore at present impossible to 

 assign the animal any definite faunal position. The difficulty is increased 

 by the fact that little is known of the geographic variations to which the 

 species may be subject. Muskrats range through all the life zones from 

 Hudsonian to lower austral inclusive. 



Habitat. Marshes and the borders of lakes, ponds and sluggish 

 streams. 



Distribution in New York. There are probably very few square miles 

 of the state in which the muskrat does not now occur. This is probably 

 one of the few mammals whose range has not been sensibly increased or 

 diminished by the clearing and settling of the state. 



Principal records. De Kay: " The geographic range of the musquash 

 is very extensive, being found from 30 to 69 north latitude" ('42, 

 p. 76). Merriam : " Colonies of muskrats may be found at suitable ponds, 

 swamps and sluggish streams in all parts of the Adirondacks" ('84d 

 p. 177). Fisher: "Common [near Sing Sing] in the salt meadows, tide 

 creeks and all the streams and ponds" ('96, p. 198). Mearns: "The 

 muskrat is abundant at Kaaterskill lake. It is also said to occur along 

 Schoharie creek, but we saw no signs of it there " ('98, p. 348). 



I have found the muskrat common at Geneva, Ontario co. Peterboro, 

 Madison co. and Elizabethtown, Essex co. Mr lavage writes, "The 

 muskrat is abundant locally [in Erie co.]. During a recent flood in 



