THE NATIVE AND WILD MAMMALS OF CONNECTICUT. 



It is proposed in the following pages to give some account of 

 the mammalian animals that exist, or have existed, within the lim- 

 its of this State since the close of the pre-historic era. The pres- 

 ent scope does not include those creatures that exist in a fossil 

 condition only, nor those domestic mammals that have been 

 introduced from other countries. On the other hand, it is not 

 wholly limited to quadrupeds (for there are some mammals which 

 are not quadrupedal), but some reference will be made to the 

 pinnipeds (seals), the wing-handed (bats), and the cetaceans (such 

 as whales and porpoises), for the seals, bats, whales, etc., are not 

 only viviparous, but are also mammalian ; that is, they not only 

 bring forth their young alive, but they suckle and nurse them 

 until they are able to care for themselves. These remarks will 

 serve as a definition of the word Mammal, as it will be used in the 

 succeeding pages. 



About forty years ago (in 1857) Prof. Spencer F. Baird (prob- 

 ably the most competent authority on the subject in this country) 

 made an official report to the United States Government, of all of 

 the then known genera and species of quadruped mammals in 

 North America. At that time his list contained a few species not 

 found in the United States ; but since the annexation of Alaska, 

 it is quite likely that the present United States contains as many 

 species as Prof. Baird's list foots up. Since then, some few species 

 have been found and described. And if we add the mammalians 

 not quadrupedal, it will be seen that his list may be considerably 

 extended. As I foot up that list there were 55 genera, which were 

 subdivided into 252 species. 



Bearing-in mind that this number of genera and species had 

 been found in North America forty years ago, and that some have 

 been discovered since that time, and that it includes neither the 

 bats, the seal tribe, nor whales and other cetaceans, and we may 

 fairly conclude that the numbers would now amount to at least 65 

 genera, and about 270 species. If this be so, how many genera 

 and species have existed in Connecticut ? 



In entering upon this investigation let it be understood that 

 we shall not attempt to describe, nor fully define, the different ani- 

 mals which we shall mention. The measurements of their crania, 



