CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 491 



of generic and specific designations in parentheses — the generic terms 

 being placed first, beginning with capitals, while the specific terms do 

 not begin with capitals. No attempt has been made to indicate which 

 specific terms have been coupled with each generic term.* In some 

 cases every specific term is to be associated with each generic term. 

 But the simple list of the different generic and specific terms that 

 have been applied to an animal seemed sufficient for the general 

 reader. After the scientific designations follow the common names, 

 and then the descriptions, and finally Dr. Abbott's notes, to which 

 additions have been made by the writer in several instances. 



In this work the Classes of Vertebrata are arranged in what may 

 be called the inverse order — that is, proceeding from the highest to 

 the lowest. 



Mammals. 



Birds. 



Reptiles. 



Amphibians. 



Fishes. 



Of these, the Orders, Families, &c., of Mammals, Reptiles and 

 Amphibians also follow the inverse order of arrangement, as in Jor- 

 dan's Manual. 



The Orders of Birds are also arranged inversely, but the Families 

 under each Order follow the plan of Ridgway's Manual. The fishes 

 are arranged throughout according to the natural order, from lowest 

 to highest, as in Jordan and Gilbert's " Synopsis." 



It is hoped that persons using this Catalogue will communicate 

 with thfe Biologist of Rutgers College, whenever specimens are found 

 that do not appear to be in this list. Very nearly all the rare forms 

 have been included, but it would unduly extend the work to include 

 every migratory species that may, by some extremely infrequent acci- 

 dent, visit our State. So many of these accidental species have been 

 included that the chance that any species will be found that are not 

 described in this list, appears to the writer to be very small. This 

 remark refers to forms well known elsewhere, but does not refer to 

 species that are not thoroughly diagnosed, even where they are quite 

 abundant. We will now give an example of such a case. 



Among mammals it is particularly desirable to gain information 

 concerning the number of species of shrew mice and their worth or 



* To some extent these connections are shown in the index. 



