PREFACE 



the New England Magazine and the Popular 

 Science Monthly, — the greater part of the chapter 

 on red squirrels, as well as portions of the chapters 

 on the mink, otter, and muskrat, having already been 

 published in the New England Magazine, while 

 much of the weasel chapters appeared in the pages 

 of the Popular Science Monthly. 



'The remainder of the text and most of the illustra- 

 tions are now printed for the first time. 



W. E. C. 



Hampton Falls, N. H. 

 August 75, i8gg. 



XVI 



